January 7 2016 - The Mississippi Link

Transcription

www.mississippilink.com
Vol. 22, No. 11
January 7 - 13, 2016
50¢
JMAA head issues State of Airport address
The Mississippi Link Newswire
Carl D. Newman, Jackson
Municipal Airport Authority
chief executive officer, delivered his State of the Airport address to a crowd of business and
community leaders and staff of
JMAA at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday.
Two members of the Jackson
City Council – Ashby Foote,
Ward 1; and Tyrone Hendrix,
Ward 6; were in attendance.
Preliminary remarks from
JMAA Board of Commissioners
Chairman Dr. Rosie L.T. Prid-
gen included
a statement
on behalf of
the board regarding the
proposed legislation that
would alter
the make-up
Newman
of the board.
“It is the unanimous position
of this five-member Board of
Commissioners that we oppose
any and all efforts to re-constitute the structure, composition,
appointments,
confirmations
and/or any other measures of
the Board of Commissioners
for the Jackson Municipal Airport Authority”, said Pridgen.
Newman, who started working at JMAA one year ago,
noted several accomplishments
of the Airport Authority in his
address.
• The Jackson Municipal Airport Authority entered into an
agreement with Trustmark National Bank in September 2015,
to refund $25 million in airport revenue refunding bonds.
This agreement translates in to
a $3.7 million in net present
value savings as a result of the
refinancing.
• In April of 2015, Fitch Ratings, the internationally recognized ratings agency providing
issuer and bond ratings research
for banks, corporations, sovereigns, and other agencies, affirmed the Jackson Municipal
Airport Authority’s Airport
Revenues with a triple B-plus
(BBB+) rating a “Stable” outlook.
The success of JMAA’s economic impact is also realized
through the contributions of
JMAA family and business
partners. The Jackson Municipal Airport Authority and
its business partners, provide
employment for 1,442 persons
combined at Jackson-Evers International and Hawkins Field
airports. The impact to the
community is seen through revenue generated by visitors and
business travelers patronizing
restaurants, retail outlets, and
other travel related businesses
in Jackson.
• In 2015, JMAA recorded
Sworn in to serve
Hinds County officials take oath of office
48 percent of JMAA’s contract
obligations awarded to City of
Jackson based businesses, with
an additional 3 percent awarded
to other areas in Mississippi. A
noted $10.9 million was awarded overall with more than $5.2
million awarded to Jackson
based businesses.
• JMAA’s 2015 federally
funded projects yielded more
than $1.29 million or 9 percent
of its federal dollars paid to
JMAA
Continued on page 4
Stokes draws
outrage over
controversial
comment
From staff reports
Hinds County Sheriff Victor Mason, surrounded by friends and family, is sworn in to office by Judge Tomie Green. PHOTOS BY JAY JOHNSON
By Shanderia K. Posey
Editor
Hinds County’s newly elected officials have
been sworn in and started their new jobs.
Courtroom No. 1 at the Hinds County Courthouse was packed Dec. 30, 2015, for the swearing-in ceremony presided by Judge Tomie T.
Green.
“The campaign is over. The job begins,”
Green said. “What’s the challenge of public
service? It’s to be strong but not rude. Be kind
but not weak. To be bold but not bullying. To
be thoughtful but not lazy. To be humble but not
timid. To be proud but not arrogant. That is my
charge as a senior circuit judge.”
Family and friends filled the courtroom to
celebrate the swearing in of new and incumbent
officials. New officials included Victor Mason,
sheriff; Michael Morgan, supervisor, District 4;
Circuit Clerk Zack Wallace poses with his family
following the swearing-in ceremony.
ble, District 4.
Typically newly elected officials are sworn
in last during the ceremony, but there was an
exception this time. Wallace was the first official
sworn in during the ceremony because former
Hinds County Circuit Clerk Barbara Dunn had
to leave early. Dunn, who was first elected into
the position in 1984, gave Wallace the oath of
office.
“First of all I would like to thank God for allowing me the opportunity to be here today.
Thank you all for supporting me. I’m asking all
of you to pray for me as I hold this office. I have
a lot of respect for this office, so if I’m doing
anything wrong … come to me,” Wallace said.
Chancery Judge Patricia Wise gave the oath to
Hinds
Bobby McGowan, supervisor, District 5; Zack
Wallace, circuit clerk; and Leon Seals, consta-
Continued on page 4
New representatives, senators begin legislative session
By Stephanie R. Jones
Contributing Writer
Inside
The Mississippi Legislature began its 2016 session on Tuesday
with the addition of 25 new members of the House of Representatives and seven new members of
the Senate. Among the new members are eight African Americans in
the House and two in the Senate.
Legislators were joined in the
packed chambers by family members, colleagues and friends for the
swearing in.
Joining the House are:
• Chris Bell, Jackson, District 65,
Upcoming
conference
focuses on young
women who face
breast cancer
Page 6
Hinds County
• Cedric Burnett, Tunica, District
9 Coahoma, Quitman, Tate and Tunica counties
• Jarvis Dortch, Raymond, District 66, Hinds County
• Kabir Kareem, Columbus, District 41, Lowndes County
• Carl Milkens, Brooksville, District 42, Lowndes, Noxubee and
Winston counties
• Orlando W. Paden, Clarksdale,
District 26, Bolivar and Coahoma
counties
• Kathy Sykes, Jackson, District
70, Hinds County
LisaRaye
McCoy’s new
film on skin
lightening to air
on TVOne
Page 19
• Kenneth Walker of Carthage,
District 27, Attala, Leake, Madison
and Yazoo counties
New to the Senate side are:
• Juan Barnett, Heidelberg, District 34, Forrest, Jasper, Jones and
Smith counties
• Tammy Felder Witherspoon,
McComb, District 38, Adams,
Amite, Pike, Wathall and Wilkinson counties.
Several of the freshman representatives pointed to education
Session
Continued on page 5
Mississippi Valley
State University
alum donates
house to university
Page 8
Kathy Sykes was sworn in as
District 70 representative for Hinds
County. PHOTO BY STEPHANIE R. JONES
Jackson’s Ward 3 City Councilman Kenneth Stokes’ recent comments on how he would handle
police from other jurisdictions who
pursue suspects into the city have
garnered national attention.
On Dec. 31, 2015, in an interview with local media Stokes said,
“What I suggest, we get the black Stokes
leadership together and as these jurisdictions come
into Jackson we throw rocks and bricks and bottles
at them. That’ll send a message, we don’t want you
in here.”
The comments were made after Ward 3 residents
expressed their concerns to Stokes following a Dec.
24 chase in the area that reportedly involved officers
from three outside cities.
Some of the initial responses from Stokes’ statement came from other law enforcement agencies.
Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey called Stokes’
statements “complete ignorance.” Bailey went on to
say that young people who may not understand the
law could be persuaded to act on Stokes’ suggestion
and get hurt.
Madison County Sheriff Randy Tucker said he will
hold Stokes responsible if a Madison County law en-
Stokes
Continued on page 5
Obama announces
executive action on
gun control
By Josh Lederman
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON – Tears
streaking
his
cheeks,
President Barack Obama
launched a final-year push
Tuesday to tighten sales of
firearms in the U.S., using
his presidential powers in
the absence of tougher gun
restrictions that Congress
has refused to pass.
Obama
The president struck a combative tone as he came
out with plans for expanded background checks and
other modest measures that have drawn consternation from gun rights groups, which Obama accused
of making Congress their hostage. Palpable, too, was
Obama’s extreme frustration at having made such
little progress on gun control since the killing of 20
first-graders in Connecticut confronted the nation
more than three years ago.
Obama
Continued on page 5
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2 • THE MISSISSIPPI LINK
JANUARY 7 - 13, 2016
Williams chosen as keynote
speaker for King Convocation
The Margaret Walker Center for
the Study of the African-American
Experience at Jackson State University has announced that Juan Williams will be the keynote speaker for
the 48th annual Dr. Martin Luther
King Jr., Birthday Convocation at 10
a.m. Jan. 15, in the Rose E. McCoy
Auditorium on the JSU campus.
A leading political writer and
thinker, Juan Williams has worked
as a reporter for National Public Radio and The Washington Post and
as a political analyst for Fox News.
With three decades of experience reporting from Washington, he is one
of the nation’s most reputable political analysts. “We are excited about
the opportunity to
expose our students
and the broader JSU
community to the
experiences and expertise of Mr. WilWilliams
liams,” noted Margaret Walker Center director, Dr.
Robert Luckett. Along with having
interviewed numerous Washington
power players including Presidents
Barack Obama, George W. Bush,
Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush, and
Ronald Reagan, Williams wrote the
acclaimed history of the modern civil rights era, Eyes on the Prize.
Margaret Walker began MLK
Convocation at Jackson State to
honor Dr. King just nine months af-
ter his assassination in 1968, making
it one of the earliest celebrations of
the civil rights leader’s birthday in
the nation. “More than 1,000 people
attend each year,” said Luckett, as a
major annual event at JSU.
Immediately following MLK
Convocation, the Margaret Walker
Center will honor Williams as well
as the Ida B. Wells-Barnett Museum
in Holly Springs, the Emmett Till Interpretive Center in Sumner, and the
Beta Delta Omega Chapter of Alpha
Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., with For
My People Awards for their contributions to African-American history
and culture.
The luncheon will begin at 11:30
a.m. in the JSU Student Center Ball-
room.
This annual award is named after
Margaret Walker’s classic poem,
For My People, and past recipients
have included James Meredith, Unita Blackwell, Robert Clark, Lerone
Bennett, Andrew Young, Jesse Mosley, Reena Evers-Everette, Charlayne Hunter-Gault, and others.
While the MLK Convocation is
free and open to the public, tickets for this year’s For My People
Awards luncheon can be purchased
through the Margaret Walker Center
for $20. Seating is limited.
For more information or to reserve
your ticket for the luncheon, contact
the center’s staff at (601) 979-3935
or mwa@jsums.edu.
Towns flooding; state gets federal disaster declaration
In Natchez over the weekend the
Mississippi River reached flood
stage and will likely rise at least one
foot per day, according to Latrice
Maxie, National Weather Service
meteorologist in Jackson.
Smaller towns along the Mississippi River near Vicksburg are
flooding already.
Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant issued a state of emergency last week
in preparation for potential flooding
that covers all counties along the
Mississippi, its tributaries and any
other affected parts of the state.
“We are told this flood will be just
below the historic record flood of
2011,” Bryant said in a statement.
“Our citizens have
time to prepare and
should begin taking
actions now.”
Flood warnings
are in effect until
Bryant
further notice. At
9 a.m. Wednesday the stage was at
45.4 feet. The Mississippi River is
expected to rise to nearly 52.5 feet
by Jan. 15.
Gov. Phil Bryant announced
Monday that residents and business
owners can access federal disaster
assistance programs after President
Barack Obama issued a federal disaster declaration for five Mississippi counties affected by severe
weather Dec. 23-28, 2015.
“I am grateful to the President and
FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate
for granting our request for federal
assistance,” Gov. Bryant said. “This
declaration is a start, to help those
citizens in the five hardest-hit areas
of North Mississippi begin the process of recovery.”
The disaster declaration qualifies
citizens of Benton, Coahoma, Marshall, Quitman and Tippah counties
to apply for individual assistance
which provides grants for individuals and families, as well as possible
low-interest loans from the Small
Business Administration.
In addition, public assistance was
granted for Benton, Marshall and
Tippah counties for local govern-
ments and certain nonprofit organizations to offset costs like debris
removal, emergency protective measures and repairing disaster damaged facilities. Hazard mitigation
has been granted statewide as well.
Residents in the declared counties may begin registering online at
www.disasterassistance.gov or by
calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or
1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired.
Additional counties may be added
as damage assessments are completed.
The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency is working with
FEMA and will provide additional
information as it becomes available.
EMPA’s
conference
set for Jan. 9
The Empowering Progressive Women’s Association Intentional Living Power and Purpose
Conference will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Jan. 9, at Turning Points Arts and Entertainment
Studio, 231 W. Peace St. in Canton.
Flonzie Brown-Wright, one of the 2015 Empowering Progressive Women honorees who was
involved in the Mississippi Civil Rights Movement, will share her life story. Brown-Wright
worked alongside many nationally known leaders as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Myrlie EversWilliams, Charles Evers, Annie Devine and others. She is the first African-American woman to
be elected election commissioner of Madison
County.
State Representative and Attorney Kimberly
L. Campbell, will share her gift of empowering
women to move past their pain to their divine
purpose. She will share her story as a legislator
and divorced mother and use her anointing to
break strongholds of self-doubt, depression and
broken relationships.
Coach and Pastor Kathy L. Amos, founder
and visionary of the EPWA, Glam Girls, Turning
Point Arts and Entertainment Studio and executive pastor of Turning Point Fellowship Ministries International Church will share her story as
a first lady, and a woman pastor taking a stand in
leadership, walking in her uniqueness and purpose, shifting cultures and proclaiming that every woman has an amazing story that will ignite
someone else to write their story.
EPWA honorees Dr. Freda Bush, an obstetrician/gynecologist; Hurstine Watts, community
events coordinator for the city of Canton; and
Canton Alderwoman Vickie McNeill will take
part in the Mentoring Moments session. A panel
discussion is also planned to allow conference
guests to ask questions.
Tickets are available at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/empowering-progressive-womenspower-conference-tickets-19343876054.
For
more information call (601) 699-3123.
JANUARY 7 - 13, 2016
THE MISSISSIPPI LINK • 3
JANUARY 7 - 13, 2016
Hinds County Supervisor Michael Morgan is sworn in by Judge Tomie
Green. PHOTOS BY JAY JOHNSON
Hinds County Supervisor Bobby McGowan is sworn in by Judge Larita
Cooper-Stokes.
Hinds County Constable Leon Seals is sworn in to office by Judge Frank
Sutton.
Judge Denise Sweet Owens swears in Eddie Jean Carr, Charles Stokes,
Eddie Fair and Paul A. Greene.
Hinds County supervisors Peggy Hobson Calhoun and Robert Graham
are sworn in by Judge Patricia Wise.
Michelle Purvis, public defender, and Sherri Flowers-Billups, county
prosecutor; are sworn in by Circuit Judge Bill Gowan.
Hinds
Continued from page 1
the board of supervisors Robert Graham, District
1; and Peggy Hobson Calhoun, District 3.
Chancery Judge Denise Sweet Owens gave the
oath the office to Eddie Jean Carr, chancery clerk;
Charles E. Stokes, tax assessor; Eddie Fair, tax
collector; and Paul A. Greene, county surveyor.
Circuit Judge Bill Gowan gave the oath of office
to Michelle Purvis Harris, public defender; and
Sherri Flowers-Billups, county prosecutor.
Judge Winston Kidd, who was also responsible
for recognizing guests during the ceremony, gave
the oath of office to the Justice Court Judge Frank
Sutton, District 3.
Green swore in Michael Morgan, supervisor,
District 4.
“He’s a businessman who believes in collaboration and hard work. He’s a Christian man, a father and a husband,” Green said about the newest
board of supervisor member.
After taking the oath, Morgan said, “Judge
Green asked me if I’d like to say a few words, and
I wouldn’t be a very good politician if I said no.
I’m honored and I’m also excited. We have some
deep experience coming back on the board, and
I’m looking forward to working with the incumbent supervisors. We have some diverse backgrounds coming in with the new supervisors.”
Judge Larita Cooper-Stokes swore in who she
called, Bobby “Bobcat” McGowan. Stokes said,
“Mr. Bobby McGowan is not a stranger to many
people especially around Hinds County. He has
been a longtime employee of the Hinds County
Public Works Department. He is man of God, a
family man, beautiful wife and beautiful family. And loads of friends as you see.” Standing
with McGowan were at least 30 plus family and
friends; laughter could be heard through the audience as they all tried to fit on the stage.
Sutton swore in newly elected District 4 Constable Leon Seals.
“During the campaign he was well capable of
handling whatever he was confronted with because we did a lot of two-a-days together,” said
Sutton, referring to the pair playing football together in past years. “Matter of fact I helped bring
him into Jackson State when he came here. I was
an offensive lineman, and I trained all the offensive linemen. My work did not go in vain.”
Seals asked the Rev. Joe May, senior pastor of
Anderson United Methodist Church, to share a
few words after his swearing-in. May offered three
simple rules to govern our lives by – No. 1, do no
harm; No. 2 – do all the good you can; No. 3 –
Love God.
Seals thanked his supporters, particularly his
wife and family. “The road ahead may seem rough
but, trust me, I’m committed and I will be moving
forward, and I will do the job I’ve been sworn to
JMAA
Jackson’s disadvantaged business enterprises. An
additional 10 percent or $13 million was awarded
to other Mississippi disadvantaged business enterprises.
• Collaborations with Entergy Mississippi allowed JMAA to qualify 211 acres of the East
Metro Corridor as an “Entergy Mississippi Economic Development Qualified Site.” This means
that those 211 acres are a development-ready industrial site that has completed a rigorous review
process including zoning, available and planned
infrastructure, land ownership reviews, environmental studies, utilities and transportation assessments. In short it is shovel ready.
• In collaboration with the cities of Brandon,
Flowood and Pearl, the construction of Phase II of
our East Metro Corridor will grant access to 785
acres of land, owned by the JMAA, parallel to the
East Runway at JAN.
For information about advertising in
The Mississippi Link
please call: 601-896-0084
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do,” he said.
Before swearing in Mason as sheriff, Green
shared a little of her personal history of knowing
him.
“I came to the bench 18 years ago. The next person I swear in came to my car door and was, I
guess, among the first baliffs I ever had. Nobody
asked him to do it. He just walked up to me and
said Judge Green, I want to talk to you cause one
day I want to be sheriff.”
Green then recited parts of a poem called “It
Couldn’t Be Done” by Edgar Albert Guest before calling Mason up to take the oath. The poem
seemed benefitting for the occasion as it describes
a task to be done that others thought couldn’t be
accomplished.
“First of all this is the day the Lord has made.
I’m very humbled and very thankful that we are
here today. There are just a few people I would
love to thank. First of all my wife and family. She
got out and canvassed just like the boys and they
all were very supportive. Thank you so much,”
Mason said after taking the oath. “I’d like to especially point out some very close people to me,
my pastor Supt. Marcus L. Butler of the Amazing Institutional Church of God in Christ for his
prayers.”
Mason also recognized Colonel Ed Sweeney
and the man who gave him his first start in law
enforcement, Police Chief Jim Black. “He’s probably the best chief I ever worked for,” Mason said.
“I’d also like to thank … Sheriff Malcolm McMillin for giving me a second chance. You know
the book says time heals all wounds, so with all
that being said I’m asking you for your prayers.
We’ve got a long row to hoe.
“I’m not gonna promise you we are gonna
straighten this problem out tonight. You got better
sense than that, but I do ask you for your prayers,
for your support and just believe in me. Now I
Justice Court Judge Frank Sutton is sworn in by
Circuit Judge Winston Kidd.
know that everybody didn’t vote for me. I know
that … but at the same time I will say this. Give
me a chance. That’s all I ask you. No excuses.
Thank you so much.”
JANUARY 7 - 13, 2016
Session
Stokes
funding, economic sustainability and growth and expansion
of health care services as key
issues for the current session,
which were pretty much the
same as issues of focus for veteran lawmakers. The newcomers are hoping their contributions will impact the outcomes
on such matters.
Sykes, a longtime community organizer, said she’s understands there is no magic fix for
pressing issues. “There are a lot
of big dreams but the reality is
it’s going be a struggle. There
are issues that unite us but there
are concerns,” Sykes said.
Her areas of concern will be
health care, housing and jobs,
among others.
“We are going to do our best
to try to make a difference
for residents of District 70,”
said Sykes, who replaces veteran representative and Civil
Rights activist Jim Evans, who
endorsed her candidacy. “A
crucial element to success is
involving citizens to hold representatives accountable, and that
includes me.”
Walker said his district is
very rural and in need of infrastructure in addition to education and expanded health care
and he will focus on those issues.
He added that high-speed Internet service is something he
wants to address for his district.
“It’s very poor, especially once
you get to the northern parts
of Madison County. Even cell
phone service is very poor,”
said Walker a construction project manager.
“I will be meeting with some
Internet providers in the coming
weeks to discuss it.” He said it
has been looked into before but
was cost-prohibitive but maybe
now technology has improved
to where it’s possible.”
Dortch, an attorney, said state
leaders should be watchful of
tax cuts that would be detrimental to the populace. “We
need to make sure that as cuts
are made they are done in a way
that doesn’t cut services.”
Dortch also said he supports
fully funding education in the
state and expanding Medicaid,
something the state has not
done. “We are last in the country on education and it should
be fully funded if we are going to make progress,” he said.
“Thousands in the state don’t
have affordable health care.
In the long run we are going
to hospitals and other medical
facilities suffer,” meaning individuals will suffer even more,
he said.
Paden, whose district covers
Delta counties, said transportation issues are on the top of his
agenda along with economic
development and education
funding. “I’m going to work
to get a four-lane highway. We
want Highway 6 to be four
lanes,” Paden said. “And we
need Medicaid expanded for
the financial wellbeing of our
health centers and citizens.”
After the festivities of the afternoon, a bit of routine work
was accomplished such as appointing committees and staff
members.
Stephanie R. Jones can be
reached at srjones13@gmail.
com or (601) 454-0372.
“It won’t happen overnight,”
Obama said. “It won’t happen
during this Congress. It won’t
happen during my presidency.”
But, he added optimistically, “a
lot of things don’t happen overnight.”
The National Rifle Association, the largest gun group,
panned Obama’s plan and said
it was “ripe for abuse,” although
the group didn’t specify what
steps, if any, it will take to oppose or try to block it. Even
Sen. Joe Manchin, a Democrat
and gun-owner who co-wrote
the bipartisan bill Obama supported in 2013, took issue with
the president’s move.
“Instead of taking unilateral
executive action, the president
should work with Congress and
the American people, just as
I’ve always done, to pass the
proposals he announced today,”
Manchin said.
The centerpiece of Obama’s
plan is an attempt to narrow
the loophole that exempts gun
sales from background checks
if the seller isn’t a federal registered dealer. With new federal
“guidance,” the administration
is clarifying that even those
who sell just a few weapons at
gun shows, flea markets or online can be deemed dealers and
required to conduct checks on
prospective buyers.
Whether that step can make a
significant dent in unregulated
gun sales is an open question,
and one not easily answered.
Millions of guns are sold annually in informal settings outside of gun shops, including
many through private sales arranged online. But the Obama
administration acknowledged
it couldn’t quantify how many
gun sales would be newly subjected to background checks,
nor how many currently unregistered gun sellers would have
to obtain a license.
Easily reversible by a future
president, the government’s
guidance to gun sellers lacks the
legal oomph of a new law, such
as the one Obama and likeminded lawmakers tried but failed to
pass in 2013.
The Justice Department said
online the guidance “has no
regulatory effect and is not intended to create or confer any
rights, privileges, or benefits in
any matter, case, or proceeding.”
Jarvis Dortch was sworn in as
District 66 representative for
Hinds County.
Orlando W. Paden was sworn in
as District 26 representative for
Clarksdale, Bolivar and Coahoma
counties. PHOTOS BY STEPHANIE R.
JONES
Obama
“First-graders,” Obama said
woefully, resting his chin on
his hand and wiping away tears
as he recalled the 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School. “Every time I think
about those kids, it gets me
mad.”
Obama’s 10-point plan to
keep guns from those who
shouldn’t have them marked
a concession by the president:
He’ll leave office without securing the new gun control laws
he’s repeatedly and desperately
implored Congress to pass.
Although Obama, acting
alone, can take action around
the margins, only Congress can
enact more sweeping changes
that gun control advocates say
are the only way to truly stem
mass shootings.
forcement officer was harmed as
a result of Stokes’ comments.
On Jan. 1, Gov. Phil Bryant
released a statement in response
to Stokes’ comments.
“Mr. Stokes’ remarks are reprehensible, particularly with the
attacks we have seen against
our men and women in law enforcement. I condemn any such
remarks in the strongest possible
manner. This is nothing short of
an outright assault upon all who
wear the badge. I will be asking
Attorney General Jim Hood to
investigate whether Mr. Stokes’
remarks represent criminal
threats against law enforcement
officers.”
On Jan. 2, Attorney General
Jim Hood issued a statement
saying, “Comments or actions
that put our law enforcement
officers in harm’s way cannot
be tolerated. Frustration or dissatisfaction with police policies
or procedures does not give any
person, especially an elected official, the right to jeopardize the
safety of officers. Certainly, the
Office of Attorney General will
investigate any complaint received in this or any other matter.”
Jackson City Council members weighed in on his comments Jan. 2 with a statement.
“As president of the City
Council I can say unequivocally
that Councilman Stokes’ comments are indefensible and do
not represent the Jackson City
Council or the City of Jackson.
Following Councilman Stokes’
comments, I have spoken personally with the other members
of the council and we are in
agreement that the Jackson City
Council does not support any
calls for acts of violence against
those who serve as members of
law enforcement.”
Councilman Priester stated
further, “Moving forward, it is
imperative that we renew our
efforts to work with surrounding communities to find common ground regarding regional
pursuits and the safety concerns
posed by high speed chases
in the metro area. I hope that
Councilman Stokes’ unfortunate
and unacceptable words do not
prevent us from achieving an effective regional pursuit policy
throughout the metro area.”
Statements from local and
state leaders kept coming.
Jackson Mayor Tony Yarber released a statement saying, “This administration has
worked tirelessly to create a
seamless city where race and
class work as partners and not as
antagonists. We have made great
strides in our efforts to build political bridges inside and outside
of the city. An integral part of
this task has included the many
joint efforts by the Jackson Police Department collaborating
with outside law enforcement
agencies. This approach has resulted in the development of a
family relationship that is formidable and cohesive in its goal
of serving and protecting all
citizens. Any challenges that we
face in this area will continue to
be resolved in an honorable and
peaceful manner.”
Yarber’s statement was released Jan. 3 following a press
conference Stokes had earlier in
the day at City Hall. During that
press conference, Stokes said,
“Race is a factor in the blatant
disregard for the public safety
of innocent children and elderly
citizens in unlawful chases by
outside jurisdictions through
the inner city neighborhoods of
Jackson, Miss.
“We have asked the United
States Department of Justice to
investigate the ever increasing
incidents of unlawful chases
through the streets of Jackson,
Miss. … despite repeated attempts being made to end the
unlawful practice.”
Stokes emphasized that the
chases into Jackson from neighboring cities and counties are not
warranted when suspects have
been accused of misdemeanor
crimes. “We’re not talking about
bank robbers, not talking about
murderers. We are not talking
about kidnappers,” Stokes said.
COMMUNITY
JANUARY 7 - 13, 2016
Conference focuses
on young women who
face breast cancer
More than 250,000 women living
in the U.S. today were diagnosed with
breast cancer before their 41st birthday.
Approximately 13,000 young women
will be diagnosed this year alone.
Young Survival Coalition, the premier
organization dedicated to young
women affected by breast cancer, is
bringing them together for the YSC
Regional Symposium from 10 a.m. – 9
p.m. Jan. 23, at the Hilton Garden Inn
in Jackson.
The one-day conference will feature
sessions on relationships and intimacy, nutrition and wellness, workplace
rights, accessing financial and insurance resources, and special breakouts
just for co-survivors (spouses, partners,
family and friends). There will also be
an interactive cooking demonstrating
highlighting healthy ways to prepare
comfort foods. Another key component is the opportunity to network with
a community of other young survivors
and co-survivors in the area. An evening party will include a celebratory
dinner and dancing.
“The YSC Regional Symposium
provides an incredible opportunity
for connecting and learning in a fun
environment. For some, it is the first
time they have met another young survivor in person,” remarked Jennifer
Merschdorf, chief executive officer
of YSC, herself diagnosed at age 36.
“Young women affected by breast cancer and their co-survivors leave feeling
empowered and connected to this incredible community of people who can
Bankers build Habitat House dedicated on Greenview Drive
DETAILS
Conference registration is $20. Space
is limited, so early registration is
encouraged.
One night’s hotel stay is available for
those who need financial assistance
and live at least 25 miles outside of
Jackson.
For complete registration, accommodation details, and a schedule of workshops and speakers, visit symposium.
youngsurvival.org or call 1-877-9721011.
relate to each other.”
“Young Survival Coalition’s Regional Symposium in Jackson will be
the first of its kind in our state. We
hope the partnership between the Gulf
States Network and YSC will allow us
to provide more outreach, education
and resources, both in person and online, for young breast cancer survivors
in the southern states,” said Dr. Barbara
Craft, from University of Mississippi
Medical Center and SurviveMISS.
“I am so excited to see the symposium come to my home state. I hope it
will provide resources to young women
here in the South that weren’t as readily available to me during my treatment. I think it is important for young
survivors to connect and support one
another, and I think this is a great opportunity to do just that,” added Jami
Watson, a two-time survivor diagnosed
at ages 33 and 37.
Registration details available at
symposium.youngsurvival.org.
Roll off Dumpster Day
slated for Jan. 9
The city of Jackson is encouraging citizens of Jackson to participate in Roll-Off Dumpster Day Jan. 9.
Residents can take tree limbs, other yard debris, and
household items to one of the following locations from
8 a.m. to 2 p.m., weather permitting.
- Smith Wills Stadium, 1200 block of Lakeland Drive,
east of softball field
- Gravel lot just east of 2550 Medgar Evers Blvd., old
Pepsi building west of Jackson Medical Mall
- Raines Park, 5260 Clinton Blvd. and Flag Chapel
Road, located in parking lot
- Tennis South Center, 1517 McDowell Road, located in parking lot
Residents may bring all household furniture, small
appliances and accessories for disposal. However,
tires, chemicals and gas tanks are not accepted. Participants are required to place debris inside dumpster
provided at the locations.
City business and residents living outside the city
limits of Jackson are not eligible to participate. Proof of
residency may be required.
Roll-Off Dumpster Day will be the following dates for
the next fiscal year:
Jan. 9, Feb. 6, March 5, April 2, May 28, June 25,
July 23, Aug. 20, and Sept. 17.
For more information about Roll-Off Dumpster Day
and other Solid Waste programs, call (601) 960-0000
or visit the website at http://www.jacksonms.gov/.
“Home for the Holidays” has taken on new meaning for a local family thanks to Habitat for Humanity Mississippi Capital Area and
nine local banking institutions. A blighted street, Greenview Drive in south Jackson, has gotten a new beginning for the new year.
Providing a brighter future for Eddie Jean Smith and her two children are the following banks that partnered for the first time to build
a HFHMCA home in Jackson: Regions, Trustmark, BancorpSouth, Wells Fargo Foundation, BankPlus, BankFirst, Origin Bank, Renasant Bank and First Commercial Bank. Gathering with the homeowner and Habitat staff for the dedication of the house December
17 were (from left) LaToya Bridgeman, a Habitat homeowner who lives on nearby Treehaven Drive; Harry Walker, Trustmark; Cindy
Griffin, HFHMCA; George Broadstreet, Renasant Bank; Beth Fisher, Trustmark; Laura Greer and Larry Ratzlaff, Origin Bank; Habitat
Homeowner Eddie Jean Smith; April Grantham, BankFirst; Katy Barrett, BankPlus; Marlene Wilson, BankFirst; Leland Rogers, HFHMCA board member; Robert Leard and Arthur DuCote, Regions; Jodie Oakes, BankFirst; Joseph Moss, BancorpSouth; Vanessa
Young and Johnny Ray, BankFirst.
Heart Ball ignites passion to fight heart disease
The American Heart Association
will host the 38th annual Metro Jackson Heart Ball at the Country Club of
Jackson from 6-11:30 p.m. Jan. 29. This
event is widely recognized as a premier
philanthropic event in Jackson and is
black-tie optional.
The Metro Jackson Heart Ball is a
celebration of the community’s support of the lifesaving mission of the
American Heart Association, contributing nearly $7 million to the cause since
its inception. The funds raised support
research and educational programs in
Mississippi and around the nation.
Alcorn to host business
development training seminar
NEWS BRIEFS
Alcorn State University’s Extension Program will
host a business development training seminar titled
Tailoring Your Business for Profit and Sustainability
from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 28, in the Copiah County Extension Office, 2040 W. Gallman Road, in Hazlehurst.
Topics include small business sustainability, tax laws
and tax credits, small business certification, access to
capital and business resources. Pre-registration is
required.
Cost is $20 per person. Lunch will be provided.
Registration ends Jan. 15. To register go to www.
alcorn.edu/businessdevelopment or call (601) 7835321.
Deadline nears for court
language interpreter seminar
The Mississippi Administrative Office of Courts will
conduct a seminar to introduce bilingual speakers to
the requirements for court interpreting on Jan. 20 and
21, in Jackson.
The Ethics and Skill Building Seminar will be held
at the Mississippi Supreme Court training room in the
Gartin Justice Building, 450 High St. in Jackson.
The registration deadline is Jan. 8. A registration fee
of $100 includes the seminar and lunch for both days.
The registration form is at this link: http://courts.ms.gov/
aoc/courtinterpreter/forms/REGISTRATION%20
FORM%20January%202016.pdf. The seminar agenda
is at this link http://courts.ms.gov/aoc/courtinterpreter/
TM
Volume 22 • Number 11
January 7 - 13, 2016
© copyright 2016. All rights reserved.
Publisher.................................................Jackie Hampton
Editor.......................................................Shanderia K. Posey
Online Editor...........................................Lonnie Ross
Religion Editor........................................Daphne Higgins
Graphics..................................................Marcus Johnson
Photographers........................................Kevin Robinson & Jay Johnson
Contributing Writers...............................Stephanie R. Jones
Janice K. Neal-Vincent
Member:
The Mississippi Link [USPS 017224] is published weekly
by The Mississippi Link, Inc. Offices located at 2659 Livingston Road, Jackson, MS 39213. Mailing address is
P.O. Box 11307, Jackson, MS 39283-1307 or e-mail us
at: editor@mississippilink.com; Please visit our website
at: www.mississippilink.com. Phone: (601) 896-0084, Fax
896-0091, out of state 1-800-748-9747. Periodical Postage Rate Paid at Jackson, MS.
Deadline: The deadline for submitting items to be considered for publication is Tuesday at 10 a.m.
Subscriptions are $32 per year; $64 for two years or $96
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Postmaster:
Send all address changes to The Mississippi Link,
P.O. Box 11307, Jackson, MS 39283-1307.
Advertising: For all advertising information,
please call (601) 896-0084.
The Mississippi Link accepts no responsibility for unsolicited materials and in general does not return them
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responsibility can be taken for sources considered to be
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their accuracy. Reproduction or use, without permission,
of editorial or graphic content, is prohibited.
“Heart disease is Mississippi’s No.
1 killer and this year’s Metro Jackson
Heart Ball promises to generate critical philanthropic support to drive the
American Heart Association toward
its impact goal of improving the cardiovascular health of all Americans by
20 percent, while reducing deaths from
cardiovascular diseases and stroke by
20 percent by the year 2020,” said 2016
Metro Heart Ball Co-Chair Peder Johnson.
The event will feature pre-dinner
cocktails and a silent auction and a
mini-live Red Room art auction. Attendees will also be treated to a seated
forms/AGENDA-JAN2016%20.pdf.
Court language interpreters must be fluent in English
and a second language, and must understand court
proceedings. The seminar will provide an introduction
to court proceedings.
Participants should arrive by 8 a.m. Jan. 20 to sign
in. Presentations are scheduled 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Jan. 20 and 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 21. The Jan. 21
afternoon session will be held at the Hinds County
Chancery Courthouse.
A written examination will be given Jan. 22, for participants who wish to pursue certification and be able to
work in Mississippi court proceedings.
For additional information, contact Ta’Shia Gordon
at (601) 576-4632.
Citizens Fire Academy
planned for one week
In an effort to raise awareness about fire and emergency operations, the Jackson Fire Department invites
the public to participate in its one-week Citizens’ Fire
Academy to become more knowledgeable about fire
and injury prevention.
The overall goals of the academy are:
To educate citizens about the basic tactics and
strategies of firefighting and rescue operations.
To promote fire safety.
To encourage academy participants to return to their
families and neighborhood to share their knowledge
and experiences. This will help citizens to be more
safety conscious and informed.
To provide an enjoyable, interactive atmosphere in
which fire members and citizens can share information
Subscribe TODAY
dinner, a heart-warming program and
live auction. After dinner, attendees
will dance to the musical stylings of
Coop D’Belle.
“The American Heart Association
depends on the commitment of hundreds of volunteers in our community
to help support their important goal of
building lives free from cardiovascular diseases and stroke,” said Jennifer
Johnson, 2016 Metro Jackson Heart
Ball co-chair.
For more information about the event
or to learn about how to prevent heart
disease call (601) 321-1213 or visit
www.heart.org/metrojacksonheartball.
and concerns.
Deadline to submit applications is at 5 p.m. Jan. 19.
For more information, contact Cleotha Sanders,
division fire chief, city of Jackson Fire Department, at
(601) 960-1498.
Documentary screening
about Chickasaws set
Brad Prewitt will screen First Encounter, a documentary film about the Chickasaws’ contact with Europeans, at the Grand Village of the Natchez Indians at 6
p.m. Jan. 14, in the museum of the Grand Village of the
Natchez Indians.
“The documentary portrays the actions taken by
the Chickasaw that proved to be the catalyst for the
dwindling of Hernando de Soto’s mission for gold and
riches in America during the late 1530s and early 40s,”
Prewitt said. “It was the first European contact for the
Chickasaw, but perhaps the most important and set the
standard by which the tribe remained for centuries, and
still remains today: ‘unconquered and unconquerable.’”
Hernando de Soto landed on the shores of Tampa
Bay, Fla., in May of 1539. He and the more-than 700
Spaniards accompanying him immediately began taking over native villages to use as camps. The expedition marched toward what is now Georgia, Tennessee,
Alabama and the Carolinas. In December of 1540 they
arrived in Chickasaw territory. A reluctant relationship
was formed between the two groups – but it would
prove short-lived.
Brad Prewitt serves as founding executive director
of the Chickasaw Inkana Foundation based in Tupelo.
Admission is free. For more information call (601)
446-6502.
2659 Livingston Road • Jackson MS, 39213
601-896-0084 • www.mississippilink.com
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STATE
JANUARY 7 - 13, 2016
Bryant reappoints Collins
adjutant general of Mississippi
Maj. Gen. Augustus L. Collins was reappointed as the adjutant general of Mississippi by
Gov. Phil Bryant Dec. 21, 2015.
As adjutant general, Collins serves as the commanding
general of both the Mississippi
Army and Air National Guard.
He is responsible for providing the state and the U.S. with a
ready force of more than 12,275
citizen-soldiers and airmen,
equipped and trained to respond
to any contingency, natural or
manmade. He directs the Mississippi Military Department
and oversees the development
and coordination of all policies, plans and programs of the
Mississippi National Guard in
concert with the Governor and
Legislature.
“Gen. Collins has ably and
honorably commanded Mississippi’s men and women in uniform, and I’m delighted he has
accepted this reappointment,”
Bryant said. “He has dedicated
his entire adult life to defending
his state and his country, both
domestically and on foreign
battlefields, and each is better
for his service.”
Collins began his career when
he enlisted in the Mississippi
Army National Guard’s Company B, 1st Battalion, 198th Armor Regiment in March 1977.
He was commissioned in July
1980 upon completion of Officer Candidate School. He has
served in various command and
staff positions in units at every
level to include company, battalion, regiment, brigade, and
Collins
the adjutant general’s primary
staff in both a traditional and
Active Guard Reserve status.
“I’m honored to be reappointed as the adjutant general of the
great state of Mississippi,” Collins said. “The Mississippi National Guard is an exceptional
team and I look forward to continued service with our soldiers
and airmen.”
Collins served on active duty
in Operation Desert Shield and
Operation Desert Storm, as well
as commanding the 155th Armored Brigade Combat Team
during combat operations in
Operation Iraqi Freedom from
2004-2006. He was promoted
to brigadier general on May 10,
2005, while in Iraq, making him
the first African American to attain the rank of general officer
in the history of the Mississippi
National Guard.
Following his deployment to
Iraq, he was assigned as director
of Mobilization, United States
Army Forces Command, Fort
McPherson, Ga. He held that
post from February 2006 until
he retired in October 2007.
Upon his retirement from the
military, Collins was appointed
by Gov. Haley Barbour to serve
as one of the three commissioners for the Mississippi Worker’s
Compensation Commission. He
held that post until July 2010
when he accepted a position
with MINACT Incorporated
where he served as the executive vice president for strategic
planning.
When Bryant took office in
January 2012, he appointed
Collins the adjutant general of
Mississippi. He was promoted
to the rank of major general on
March 14, 2012.
Collins is a 2007 inductee
into the University of Mississippi Alumni Hall of Fame. He was
the 2006 Mississippi Trailblazer
of the Year. He is a 2006 inductee into the Mississippi Military
Academy Officer Candidate
School Hall of Fame. He has
twice been awarded the National Guard Bureau’s Minuteman
Award. He was awarded the
Distinguished Citizen Award by
Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc.,
in 2009. He was the 2012 recipient of the Sam Haskell Spirit
of America Award presented by
the Mississippi Trailblazers.
His military awards and decorations include the Legion of
Merit, the Meritorious Service
Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achieve-
ment Medal, the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service
Medal, the Iraqi Campaign
Medal, the Mississippi Magnolia Cross, the Order of Saint
George Medallion for excellence in Armor and the Combat
Action Badge.
Collins currently serves on
the board of Friends of Mississippi Veterans and the board
for MINACT Inc. He previously served on the Mississippi
Commission on Judicial Performance and the governor’s Commission for Physical Fitness and
Sports. He is a member of the
Beta Gamma Boule of Sigma Pi
Phi Fraternity and was inducted
into the National Collegiate
Honor Society of Phi Kappa
Phi.
Collins is a member of New
Hope Baptist Church in Jackson, where he serves on the deacon Board.
Collins received an associate
of arts degree from Northeast
Mississippi Junior College, a
bachelor of business administration degree from the University of Mississippi, a master of
business administration degree
from Jackson State University, a
master of strategic studies from
the United States Army War
College and has completed the
general and flag officer Homeland Security Program at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.
Collins is married to the former Debra Fitzgerald. They
have two sons, William and
Benjamin.
Jackson native chosen
as Sailor of the Year
Special to the Mississippi Link
Jackson native Shovkia
Caldwell, daughter of Denise
Seals, was selected as Sailor of
the Year from among her peers
at Navy Installations Command
headquarters for 2015. Navy
Installations Command is responsible for the operations and
maintenance of 70 shore installations world-wide and quality
of life programs to support the
fleet, Navy Sailors, and their
families.
Petty Officer First Class
Shovkia Caldwell graduated in
1994 from Clinton High in Clinton, Mich., and in 1999 joined
the Navy out of her hometown
in Jackson. Following boot
camp, Caldwell attended Personnel Specialist “A” school in
Meridian where she learned the
skills to maintain and audit pay
and personnel records for military personnel.
At her current job in Millington, Tenn., as part of the Navy
Wounded Warrior - Safe Harbor
department for Navy Installations Command, she manages
military pay, travel entitlements,
and deductions to assist enlisted
personnel and their families with
special problems or personal
hardships.
Caldwell has traveled to a variety of locations during her career
and has served with an aircraft
patrol squadron in Jacksonville,
Fla., VP-16 War Eagles; at a
personnel support detachment at
Naval Air Station Mayport, Fla.;
a strike fighter squadron at Naval Air Station, Oceana, Virginia
Beach, Va., with the F/A 18 aircraft squadron, VFA-87 Golden
Warriors, and as a classifier at
Caldwell
Recruit Training Command,
Great Lakes, Ill.
While enjoying each duty
assignment, the one she remembers most fondly was her
tour aboard the aircraft carrier
USS John F, Kennedy (CV 67),
which was decommissioned in
2007.
“The USS John F. Kennedy is
my most beloved duty station,”
said Caldwell. “I was a personnelman responsible for reenlistments and customer service, and
spent some time working physical security, too.”
Caldwell has taken advantage
of the many educational opportunities the Navy provides. Using the Navy’s tuition assistance
program, she earned her Illinois
real estate license and her notary public commission in Va.
She said she wants to become
a licensed clinical social worker
upon retirement.
Caldwell lives in Millington,
Tenn. with her husband and her
three children. She is currently
working on her bachelors in
social work and her associates
in management and human resources at Park University.
EDUCATION
JANUARY 7 - 13, 2016
Hinds CC MI-BEST program puts Vicksburg
student Greenwood on path to her culinary dream
Special to The Mississippi Link
VICKSBURG – Brandy
Greenwood
really
hasn’t
stopped working in recent years,
despite not having a paying job
or a high school diploma.
“I quit going to school in the
11th grade because I got pregnant with my two oldest kids,”
Greenwood said. “I was in the
band and ROTC in high school,
so I wasn’t ever weak in any
subjects. I tried five times to
pass the GED, but life got in the
way.”
Greenwood, a Shreveport,
La., native, moved to Mississippi in 1999 as a 20-year-old
single mother when her own
mother’s job moved to Jackson.
A decade of transience reached
an apparent low point when she
moved into a shelter for homeless women in Vicksburg with
her four children. She lived in
the shelter a year and a half,
eventually doing odd jobs for
the facility’s operators.
“I was a house monitor, the
cook, the driver, did all kinds
of errands,” she said. Once she
moved into more permanent
housing in 2013, her thoughts
shifted to bettering her station
in life. “I needed to get myself
together and find something to
do. When I was at the shelter,
I did so many things, including
cooking.”
Another go-round this past
year at securing a high school
diploma through Hinds Community College was a payoff,
Greenwood has hopes of starting her own business after completing the MI-BEST program at Hinds Community College.
thanks to a handful of people
who work with students in the
enhanced adult education program to handle issues of transportation, child care, financial
aid and more.
“Ms. Lauren Powers said
someone suggested me for the
MI-BEST program after I took
a test to enter the GED program
to see how much I remembered.
When I asked what trades I
could take, she said culinary
was one of them. I said, ‘I’m in
there! I’ll take it.’”
MI-BEST is Mississippi’s version of the nationally recognized
Integrating Basic Education and
MDE awards scholarships to parents
of children with special needs
The Mississippi Department of Education has
awarded 286 scholarships
to parents of students with
special
needs,
totaling
$198,139.41.
The Education Scholarship Accounts, created
through the 2015 Equal Opportunity for Students with
Special Needs Act, provides
an opportunity for parents
who wish to withdraw their
child with special needs
from the public school system to use scholarship money to help defray the cost of
private school tuition or other specific allowable activities to educate their child.
The ESA allows for a maximum of 433 scholarships to
be made available to Mississippi residents and to be disbursed into four equal quarterly reimbursement periods
of $1625 or the amount of
actual receipts not to exceed
$6,500 per year.
The MDE began taking
applications July 1, and the
agency will continue to accept and approve applications that meet the criteria
of the law.
To participate in the program the applicant must be
a Mississippi resident; the
student must have had an
active Individualized Education Program from a public school within the last 18
months; and the parent must
sign an agreement to adhere
to the rules of participation.
Since July 1, the MDE has
received 420 applications.
Ten applications were withdrawn, and 124 applications
were denied. The majority
of the denials were because
students didn’t have official
IEPs issued by a school district. Per federal law, only a
public school can issue an
IEP.
Parents are reimbursed
for expenses quarterly after
submission of a reimbursement request with proper
documentation of expenses
incurred. Funds can also be
paid quarterly directly to an
educational service provider
if approved by the parent.
The total amount of each
ESA for 2015-2016 is
$6,500.
CITS hosts Tech Camp for high school
The Center for Information Technology Services
at Alcorn State University
hosted two mini-technology
camps for local area students
in grades 8 – 12 Nov. 23 and
24. The camp sessions were
designed as pilot camps to
expose students to technology in a fun learning environment and to encourage them
to consider further studies
and careers in technology. It
was also a chance to keep the
students engaged and challenged during the Fall Break
week. The camp was free to
the students and included
breakfast and lunch.
A total of nine students
participated in the camp,
which was taught by Stanley
Stephney, Alcorn State University’s Instructional Technology Manager.
Students learned how to
build a basic webpage and
create an interactive story using HyperText Markup Lan-
guage (HTML), JavaScript
and Cascading Style Sheets
(CSS).
“I think this was a great
opportunity to spark curiosity of technology,” said Vanessa Huston, instructional
technologist at Alcorn, who
served as team leader and
camp organizer.
“The students were able
to see that all they needed to
create webpages and websites were just a text editor
and a web browser.”
please call: 601-896-0084
Skills Training program, or IBEST. It allows adult students to
train for a job skill while earning
their GED high school equivalency certificate at the same
time. Students are prepared to
be job-ready in six months to a
year, train in high-demand areas
and earn national certifications.
“Brandy has really overcome
a lot of adversity throughout her
life,” said Powers, who works as
a navigator in the program that
helps students with things such
as transportation, child care and
financial aid. That way, the students keep their total focus on
academics.
“The MI-BEST program at
Hinds CC in Vicksburg was the
perfect program to help get the
ball moving in the right direction for Brandy. Part of my role
as the MI-BEST navigator is to
provide a wraparound of student
services from support, guidance
and counseling in both academics as well as with everyday life
to serving as a listening board
and being a cheerleader for the
students, said Lauren Powers.
“She is dedicated and motivated to reaching her goals, and
I couldn’t be more proud of her
efforts in the MI-BEST program. I can’t wait to see what
the future holds for her – I just
know it is going to be bright,
said Powers.”
Greenwood began classes in
June and passed all tests on the
first try. Now she attends classes
twice a week, nine hours a day.
In her culinary classes, she has
learned the finer points of slicing
cheese and proper techniques of
cutting fruit. Of her core academic classes, math remains a
challenge. “It’s been 20 years
since I’ve been in school, and
for me to be doing this well I
know this is my year,” she said.
“It’s time for me to do my part.
I’ll be the first child of my mother to walk in a cap and gown.
“It’s helped me find myself,”
she said. “I have the strength,
courage and knowledge to do
what I have to do. I’m challenged every day in class for
something, whether it’s in Mr.
(Tim) DeRossette’s class or in
math class. I hope this shows
my children that you’re never
too old to finish school.”
And she’s also thinking big
beyond her long-awaited graduation. She wants to draw upon
a cooking heritage to bring the
dining world’s hottest trend to
Vicksburg. “Cooking is a dream
of mine. My mom and my
grandmother, who is a retired
school cafeteria worker, were
my mentors. My mother worked
for a bank for 45 years, then got
her cake decoration license, so
she can decorate pastries and
things like that,” she said.
“Most definitely, I’d want
to do a food truck because we
don’t have one here in Vicksburg. I know I want it to be good
food, but healthy and not always
fried.”
Her husband, Randy, laid
flooring for a living for 15 years,
but is now disabled. Still, Brandy feels she already has her future business partner right there
in the kitchen.
“We make this coconut chicken that is awesome,” she said.
“He’d make a good sous chef
for me.”
Valley alumnus Perkins
donates house to university
Mississippi Valley State University alum, Dr. Claude Perkins, president of Virginia Union
University, recently donated
a house to MVSU, in honor of
his former mentor and choir director Dr. and Mrs. Olympia P.
Lowe.
“Dr. Lowe used to be the vice
president of academic affairs
and my mentor. Mrs. Lowe was
my choir director; I sang in the
choir for four years,” he added.
“I have been really close to the
Lowe family for well over 50
years. Mr. and Mrs. Lowe were
more than just instructors and
mentors to me, they were my
family. I established a scholarship in Mrs. Lowe’s honor and
now it is an even greater privilege to donate this property,”
continued Perkins.
The house is located in Itta
Bena on Delta Drive. It was designed by MVSU’s first president, Dr. James Herbert White
and formerly owned by the
Lowe family. “I would stay at
the house while visiting the campus for speaking engagements
or homecoming,” he added.
“MVSU is overwhelmed by
the generosity of alumnus Dr.
Claude Perkins, said Dr. William Bynum, MVSU president.
“It is alumni of the institution
such as Dr. Perkins who contribute to the everlasting viability
of this great institution which
makes the greatest impact on
our sustainability. I would like
to thank Dr. Perkins on behalf of
the MVSU family.”
Perkins is in demand as a national spokesperson. He recently
served as the keynote speaker
for the 32nd Annual UNCF Martin Luther King Day Breakfast.
He joined several other Historically Black College University
presidents for a HBCU Panel
Discussion at the City Club of
Cleveland in June 2015, and in
Dr. William Bynum (left) meets with Dr. Claude Perkins (right) at Virginia Union University to finalize the home donation. November 2015 he participated
in an HBCU Presidents Panel in
celebration of the 150th Anniversary of Virginia Union University. He was also a panelist
at the National Action Network
Annual Conference. In addition,
he has been interviewed by National Public Radio, WRIC-TV,
WTVR-TV, and WWBT-TV.
According to Perkins, many
of the people who lived on or
near Delta Drive were associated with the university and were
pioneers who retired in that area.
“I have been closely associated
with the university and persons
there for many, many years,”
said Perkins. “I thank the university for all that they have
done to support people in the
Mississippi Delta. I know the
value of MVSU to the area and I
know the value that it has added
to my life,” he added.
Perkins said the use of the
house is left at the discretion of
the president. “I would like for
it to be used to accommodate
guests of the university. I am
certain that the president will
come up with important and interesting use for the property,”
said Perkins. “I am very humble
and joyful to donate this house
to the university,” continued
Perkins.
Perkins
graduated
from
MVSU in 1964 with a degree in
political science. He now serves
as the 12th president of VUU.
Since his appointment as chief
executive officer in January of
2009, the VUU has undergone
a major transformation. Perkins’
achievements include increases
in enrollment, scholarships, retention, and the university’s net
assets. He has substantially stabilized the financial position of
the university and continues to
grow the endowment for longterm financial viability. Toward
that end, in June of 2015, VUU
exceeded its Comprehensive
Campaign goal of $30 million.
Perkins was the first AfricanAmerican to serve as superintendent of schools in Clark
County, Nevada, which includes
Las Vegas, the fifth largest in the
nation.
The Clark County - Nevada
School Board honored him for
his work with the naming of the
$25 million Claude Grandford
Perkins Elementary School. He
also served as superintendent of
schools in Kansas City, Mo. and
deputy and assistant superintendent of schools for the City of
Richmond, Va.
EDUCATION
JANUARY 7 - 13, 2016
Students volunteer
New JSU Development board chair
donates $25,000 to School of Journalism in Port Gibson, donate
As the new chair of the JSU
Development Foundation Board
of Directors, Dr. Alfred L. Martin Jr. said his ultimate goal is
to increase endowments for all
campus programs at Jackson
State University, including the
School of Journalism and Media
Studies to which he presented a
$25,000 check on Dec. 8.
Martin said his donation is fitting because he received a bachelor’s degree in 1984 in mass
communications from JSU. This
contribution qualifies for a onefor-one matching grant program,
boosting the gift to $50,000.
The new school is headed by
Dr. Elayne Hayes-Anthony, who
was his department chair when
he earned his first degree at JSU.
Subsequently, Martin received
his MBA and later doctorate in
urban and regional planning,
both from JSU.
As president and CEO of Environmental Management Plus
Inc., Martin succeeds retiring
chair and businessman Leland
Speed, who served nearly a decade.
Anthony Holloman, vice president for Institutional Advancement, said the support that Jackson State continues to receive
from alumni and the business
community is indicative of the
university’s rich legacy.
“We are delighted to have such
an esteemed JSU alum who has
contributed so much to this community and beyond. As a product of JSU, we’re confident that
Dr. Martin will labor diligently
to keep his alma mater moving
to nursing home
Dr. Alfred L. Martin Jr., (left) the new chair of the JSU Development Foundation Board of Directors, presents
a check to Anthony L. Holloman, vice president for Institutional Advancement, to show his support for the
School of Journalism and Media Studies. PHOTO BY CHARLES A. SMITH/JSU
forward into the 21st century,”
he said. “We are so proud that
he has agreed to serve in this
role and continue the extraordinary work of his predecessor,
Mr. Leland Speed, to whom we
owe a great deal of gratitude for
his commitment and dedication
to the progress of Jackson State
University.”
Hayes-Anthony said, “We are
so very, very pleased and grateful that one of our distinguished
alums has given such a substantial and significant gift to the
School of Journalism and Media
Studies. These funds will impact
our ability to offer scholarships
and enhance our capacity to
meet the needs of our students
and faculty.” She added that she
hopes Martin’s contribution will
inspire other alumni to give back
to the university as well.
A third-generation graduate of
JSU, Martin describes Jackson
State as home. His grandmother
received her bachelor’s degree
from Jackson College in 1930,
and his mother earned her master’s degree from the university
in the early 1970s.
The new chair said he aims to
work with President Carolyn W.
Meyers on many of the initiatives and ideas currently in place
to help secure JSU’s position as
one of the premier institutions in
the nation.
Martin has been an active so-
Time for H.S. students to fill out the FAFSA
High school seniors planning
to attend college or technical
school this fall should fill out
the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, also called the
FAFSA, as soon as possible, according to KHEAA.
The information on the FAFSA
determines if students qualify for
federal grants and student loans.
It is also required to apply for
state grants and scholarships. In
addition, many colleges use the
information to award their own
grants and scholarships. Therefore, students should submit the
FAFSA even if they feel it is unlikely they will qualify for aid.
The FAFSA asks for information about income, assets and
expenses. A formula set by Congress determines eligibility for
federal and state aid. If the student is considered a dependent
under federal guidelines, both
the student and parents must
provide financial information.
Nearly all students going directly to college from high school
are considered dependent.
Some student aid programs
have limited money and provide
funds on a first-come, first-served
basis, so it is important to submit
the FAFSA as soon as possible.
For fastest results, KHEAA
recommends that students submit the FAFSA online at www.
fafsa.gov.
KHEAA is a public, non-profit agency established in 1966
to improve students’ access to
college. It provides information
about financial aid and financial
literacy at no cost to students and
parents. KHEAA also helps colleges manage their student loan
default rates and verify information submitted on the FAFSA.
In addition, KHEAA disburses private Advantage Education
Loans on behalf of its sister
agency, KHESLC.
For more information about
Advantage Education Loans,
visit www.kheslc.com.
cial advocate and community
servant. He is the immediate past
board chair of the Washington,
D.C.-based Coalition of Juvenile Justice; chaired the Mississippi Juvenile Justice Advisory
Committee; a former commissioner with the Mississippi Supreme Court’s Commission on
Children’s Justice; and a charter
member of the Jackson Metro
Crime Commission. In addition, he’s a member of Anderson
United Methodist Church and
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity.
Over the years, the board’s
role has included raising funds
for student scholarships, faculty
salary supplements and other
campus enhancements.
Alcorn State University’s
Honor Student Organization
spent Dec. 5 volunteering at
the Mississippi Cultural Crossroads Center’s Christmas Market Place Bazaar in Port Gibson,
Mississippi. The Christmas
Market Place Bazaar is an annual event that showcases local
residents’ unique handmade
gifts, artwork, crafts and bakery.
Thirteen HSO members volunteered to organize, draw posters and sell items at the Christmas Market Place Bazaar. The
students were Tamiya Phillips,
Kayla Jones, Draven Howard,
Ambria Scott, Shanequa Belton, Briana Bennett, Tatiana
David, Marissa Jones, Kenisha Smith, Destiny Crockett,
Christopher Jefferson, Marion
Martinez, and Charles Marsaw.
The Office of Pre-Professional
and Honors Curriculum Programs has collaborated with
the Mississippi Cultural Crossroads on many program activities over the years.
Felicia Harried, user interface architect for Alcorn, was
pleased with the students’
thoughtful act.
“We were honored to have
the HSO students volunteer,
especially since several of our
usual volunteers were in Houston for the game,” said Harried. “I was especially proud as
I mingled with our guests and
heard so many positive com-
ments about the students’ polite
and helpful attitudes.”
Dr. Wandra Arrington, HSO
advisor and assistant director of the Honor Curriculum
Program transported students
and attended the event. She expressed her appreciation for the
students.
“Our HSO members could
have gone to the SWAC Championship game in Houston,
Texas on Saturday but they
kept their commitment to helping our local community and
making a difference in the lives
of others,” said Arrington. “I
am truly grateful and proud of
this unselfish display of generosity.”
The organization wasn’t
done with its charitable initiatives. The students donated
hats, gloves, socks, combs, paper towels and Kleenex to residents Dec. 11 at the Jefferson
County Nursing Home in Fayette. The students, along with
Arrington, also gave holiday
ornaments and Christmas cards
to Barney Rankin, who is the
director of the nursing home.
The Honor Student Organization is for students who have
demonstrated excellence in
the areas of scholarship, leadership, service and character.
Students must hold an overall
grade point average of 3.00.
JANUARY 7 - 13, 2016
God is our owner
By Pastor Simeon R. Green III
God is our
owner, and the
fact that He owns
us allows Him to
have a priority
over us. Until we
realize God is our
owner, nothing is going to go as
it should. His divine ownership
gives Him that privilege. When
Christ was here on earth, He
gave us a prescription to follow,
but so few people have followed
it.
Most people have gone to the
doctor at some stage or another.
The doctor gave the prescription and said, “Now, this will
help you; take this prescription
to the pharmacy and have it
filled.” Sometimes they put the
prescription someplace and forget about it. Sometimes it might
be a good thing if they do, but
the fact remains, whatever that
prescription was related to, it
will have no effect on them if
it is not filled. It has to be filled
and used.
We have a prescription in the
word of God, and it has been
here from the time God gave
the word. All of us have access
to it, but if we don’t work on it,
or have it filled, it will do us no
good. We find in the word of
God, Matthew 6:33, “But seek
ye first the kingdom of God, and
His righteousness and all these
things (things we worry about)
shall be added unto you.”
There are things that worry
people – the job, the husband,
the wife, the children, and the
list goes on and on. Well, do
we believe the scripture just
quoted? If we believe God, we
have to believe what He says.
Because His Word is our only
true prescription. If He has given something for us to do, the
little we can do is to obey. Seek
Him first.
Psalm 115, verse one states,
“Not unto us, O Lord, not unto
us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy
truth’s sake.” It is God we have
to give the glory. We can do it
if we seek Him. It is very difficult to give Him the glory if we
haven’t sought Him, because
man will be man as long as he
lives. Man wants the glory and
recognition. He wants to say, “It
was me.” He wants to say, “Do
you see what I did?” But God
says, “Give me the glory.” He
is pleased when we praise Him.
He is pleased when we give Him
the glory. He has every right to
it. We are but dust. We are only
instruments through which He
can work. Let’s see to it that we
give Him the glory by seeking
Him first.
In the book of Jeremiah 9:2324, it states, “Thus saith the
Lord, let not the wise man glory
in his wisdom, neither let the
mighty man glory in his might;
let not the rich man glory in his
riches but let him that glorieth in
this, that he understandeth and
knoweth me, that I am the Lord
which exercise lovingkindness,
judgment, and righteousness, in
the earth for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.”
May God help us to make
Him our eternal choice and live
for Him, because it is only then
that life is worthwhile. May
God bless you.
Rev. Simeon R. Green III is
pastor of Joynes Road Church
of God, 31 Joynes Road, Hampton VA 23669. He is married to
Velma L. Green. He honorably
served in the U.S. Army for 20
years. Rev. Green is a member
of the National Association of
Evangelism Church of God, Anderson, Ind. He serves as chairman of the Southeastern Association of The Church of God, Inc.
New Year’s Resolutions to equip new leaders
By United Methodist Communications
Do you want to get your church
hopping in the New Year? Below
are five motivating and inspiring
ways to get your new leaders off
to a positive start. When leaders
are engaged and focused, people
in your congregation and community will become excited about the
church and its ministries.
1. Equip leaders with specific
tasks.
Give the new leaders copies of
Guidelines, written by Discipleship Ministries. Each Guidelines
booklet provides a solid foundation for planning and understanding specific ministries. Be
SMART (specific, measurable,
attainable, relevant, time-bound)
as you set goals, keeping the
church’s purpose and mission at
the forefront of your plan.
Give committees and volunteers plenty of time to plan and develop their work by using a ministry calendar or a project timeline.
Once you have a project timeline,
plug the dates into your editorial
calendar.
2. Offer coaching.
In the local church, it often is
hard to break old patterns of leadership. This may be especially true
if outgoing leaders have bad habits yet, mentor the incoming leaders. If church leaders are stuck in
patterns that need to change, enlist
someone from outside to help. For
instance, you could find another
United Methodist church that has
a well-functioning worship committee and ask that chairperson
to coach your new worship chairperson. Some annual conferences
have congregational developers or
coaches. Paid coaches can be expensive, but you might find funding from your conference’s congregational development office.
Offer internal training and
promote district and conference
training. Also, plan some spiritual
retreats.
3. Provide continuing education for your leaders.
Here are some examples:
• Take 15 minutes at church
council to do some teaching or
training.
• Invite your leaders to read a
book and talk about it.
• Create a curriculum and offer
a class on leadership.
• Promote district and confer-
ence training events.
If you need a retreat, but don’t
have the time (or gifts) to lead it,
invite another pastor or lay person
to facilitate it (and then find a way
to return the favor).
4. Pray for new leaders.
Commit to praying for your
leaders, and involve others in the
prayer process. Identify people
who are called specifically to a
ministry of prayer and commission them to pray daily for church
leaders. A great resource for different prayer methods is at Upper
Room’s Method-X.
5. Say “thank you.”
Thank your leaders every
chance you get and never forget
why they are volunteering – to
serve our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ.
The Top 10 Gospel Songs from the Billboard Gospel Charts for the week of January 7
SONGS
ARTISTS
1.
Wanna Be Happy?
Kirk Franklin
2.
.Worth
Anthony Brown & group therAPy
ALBUM
3.
IntentionalTravis Greene
4.
Worth Fighting For
Brian Courtney Wilson
5.
I Luh God
Erica Campbell Featuring Big Shizz
6. Yes You Can
Marvin Sapp
7.
I’m Good
Tim Bowman Jr.
8.
Thank You Jesus (That’s What He’s Done) Kim Burrell
9.
I’m Yours
Casey J
10.
123 VictoryKirk Franklin
To listen to snippets of these songs, please visit billboard.com/charts/gospel-song
Message from the
Religion Editor
By Daphne Higgins
Religion Editor
I began last
week’s editorial
by expressing my
jubilation for the
New Year.
What I did not
do is personally
thank God for the New Year, a
new life and new loves.
Since I began writing this column for The Mississippi Link,
I have been blessed with new
acquaintances that I truly see as
blessings. God had each and every one cross my path for a reason, and I will not question why.
As the year continues to progress, I know that I will continue
to meet people, some who I will
probably want to be life-long
friends and some I will probably
question their very existence
(And yes, there may be some
who will probably question
mine).
Our days are filled with so
many people, things and places to go that we often take for
granted the impact someone has
made on our lives or the impact
that we make on others. But, for
whatever reason we cross paths,
I truly believe that there will be
a lesson learned and one that I
will probably share with you at
some point.
We never know who we are
going to meet from day to day,
but if we are blessed to see additional days, God will bless
us with more introductions of
not only people but events. We
need to prepare ourselves to
embrace what He places before
us and know that we can share
the outcome of that experience;
whether we consider it to be a
good or bad one. But if we have
God, all experiences are good
ones because we are a part of
His master plan.
As the new year continues to
develop, we ask that you continue to share your praises and
good news with our readers.
This new year is filled with so
many possibilities for all of us
and that means even more opportunities to let others know
what God has done for us all.
Remember the verse that I
often share with you – Isaiah
52:7 (NIV), which reads: “How
beautiful on the mountains are
the feet of those who bring good
news, who proclaim peace,
who bring good tidings, who
proclaim salvation, who say to
Zion, Your God reigns!”
The Mississippi Link, a messenger for news in and around
the state of Mississippi, would
like to serve as your personal
messenger to share your news
and the news of your places of
worship.
Contact Daphne M. Higgins
at
religion@mississippilink.
com. Fax 601-896-0091 or mail
your information to The Mississippi Link, 2659 Livingston
Road, Jackson, MS 39213.
REIGNING
ANNOUNCEMENTS
New Jerusalem Church of God in Christ, 3387
Medgar Evers Blvd., Jackson, will continue hosting its Gospel Explosion at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 7
-8. For more information call (601) 981-8569. Dr.
Andrew Friday, Sr. is the pastor.
Triumph The Church and Kingdom of God in
Christ, 4224 Dr. Martin Luther King Dr., Moss
Point, will honor “Steppers of Faith” at 6 p.m. Jan.
9. Various step teams, praise dancers, groups,
soloists, mimes and musicians will perform. For
more information, call (228) 474-8222. Elder
Prince James George is the pastor.
Cade Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, 1000
W. Ridgeway St., Jackson, will host is Unity Celebration Concert in honor of the life and legacy of
Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. at 3 p.m. Jan. 17. For additional information call (601) 573-1099 or (601)
366-5463.
Moving the Masses Toward the Mission of the Master
SUNDAY
Worship Services
8:00 a.m. & 11:00 a.m.
Sunday School 9:30 a.m.
MONDAY
Intercessory Prayer 9:00 a.m.
Michael T. Williams
WEDNESDAY
Pastor
Prayer Service 6:30 p.m.
Classes: Children • Youth • Adult - 7:00p.m.
Greater Bethlehem Temple, 1501 Robinson St.,
Jackson, will be the location of the Annual Martin Luther King Jr./Mississippi Legislative Black
Caucus Prayer Breakfast on Jan 18. The event is
open to the community. For more information, call
(601) 354-2599. Bishop Robert N. Fortson Sr. is
the pastor.
1750
www.nhcms.org
Evangelist Temple House of Refuge of All Nations Church of God in Christ, 704 University
Blvd, Jackson will host The Late W. Marie Johnson Choir Day 2016 at 11:30 a.m. Jan. 24. The
celebration will continue with the church’s 38th
musical revival at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 28-30. For more
information call (601) 497-5887. Elder Tyron
Hanks Sr. is the pastor.
N
E
W
S
JANUARY 7 - 13, 2016
F
R
O
M
T
H
E
W
O
Learning to love God
By Rev. Leon Collier
Love for God
is defined so
beautifully in the
book of Psalm.
Through these
beautiful verses
we are reminded
of how important it is to continue our daily quest of learning
to love God.
Some may wonder what is
this Psalm about. The psalmist
professes his love to God for
delivering him out of great dangers in verses 1-8. The psalmist
prays for his future protection
and promises to praise Him
and to walk holy before Him in
verses 9-19.
The key verse for this chapter
is verse 1, “I love the Lord because…”
Do you have reasons to love
God? If so, why do you love
God? Maybe your reasons are
like the psalmist in Psalm 116.
No. 1 – He hears my cries/
prayers. Psalm 116:1 states, “I
love the Lord because He hears
my cry and my prayers.” Notice it said God hears my cries.
There may have been times in
your life when you just cried
out to God. You didn’t have a
well outlined prayer. All you
did was cry out, but God heard
it. Sometimes people may cry in
sorrow not directing their feelings to God; they just cry, but
God hears their cries. Even before we pray, God will hear our
moans and cries.
When Hagar and Ishmael
were banished by Abraham, all
alone and needed water, Hagar
left her child at a distance because she could not stand to
watch him die of thirst and she
began to cry. Genesis 21:17
says, “God heard the voice of
the lad. Then the angel of God
called to Hagar out of heaven,
and said to her, what troubles
you, Hagar? Fear not, for God
has heard the cry of the child
where he is.”
Notice the angel said, “God
has heard the cry of the child
where he is.” No matter where
you are, no matter how bad
the circumstances, God knows
where you are, and He hears
your cries especially if you belong to Him.
R
D
Ishmael was a son of Abra- that God delivers me and this that Jesus sits at the right hand
not stands at the right hand of
ham and God was not going to helped me to re-enter my rest.
leave him, which is why the anThe Hebrew word for rest God. Why? Keep in mind, Stegel told Hagar in Genesis 21:18 is manowach (meh-noo-ah), phen’s enemies had not started
“Arise, lift up the lad and hold which
figuratively
speak- stoning him yet, but verse 55
him with your hand, for I will ing means a home. A home is says heaven was opened and
make him a great nation.” No where people go to rest and let Jesus was standing at the right
matter how bad your situation their hair down. Rest is some- hand of God. This tells us that
may seem, keep in mind you thing God gives to Christians, Jesus stood up to receive Stebelong to Christ and all you so whenever we have trouble phen, because Jesus knew they
have to do is keep the faith (lift all we have to do is remember were about to kill Stephen.
up your head), because God has that God delivers and we can go
The stoning of Stephen was
greater blessings in store for back home and rest in the Spirit. not just about his persecution
you.
I love the way Jesus said it and cold-blooded murder, but
No. 2 – He helps me. Psalm when He was preparing His it was about the fact that Ste116: 3 - 6 states, “The cords of disciples for his upcoming de- phen’s time was up and Jesus
death surrounded me, the pains parture in John 14:27. It states, was about to call him home.
of Sheol got a hold of me. I “Peace I leave with you, my God used the enemies’ assassifound trouble and sorrow.” One peace I give unto you: not as nation of Stephen as a launchwriter said the psalmist was re- the world gives. Let not your ing pad for Stephen to enter into
ferring to their cords and shack- heart be troubled, neither let it heaven. It’s interesting that Steles by which a criminal is bound be afraid.” The world’s peace is phen saw Jesus and the heavens
who is about to be led out to a good stiff drink when one is opened up, but it didn’t say his
execution.
stressed out or a vacation, but enemies saw the Lord. When
He was headed for certain the peace of God is the comfort you love God with all your
death, but Psalm 116:4 states, of the Holy Spirit.
heart, you can discern things in
“Then I called on the name of
No. 4 – I am precious in His the supernatural that most folk
Lord: Lord, I beg you, deliver sight. Psalm 116:15 states “Pre- can’t see.
my soul.” One writer said, “He cious in the sight of the Lord is
If you keep your eyes on Jesus
shows forth the fruit of his love the death of His saints.”
during your troubles, it removes
The blood of the saints is very the bitterness from your situain calling on God…proclaiming
that God is merciful and will valuable in God’s eyes. Psalm tion, which is why after Stephen
72:14 states “He shall redeem saw the vision of Christ, it enhelp those who are in need.”
Psalm 116:6 states, “God pre- their soul from deceit and vio- abled him, as he was dying, to
serves the simple. I was brought lence; and their blood shall be ask Jesus not to hold his enelow, and he saved me.” The precious in His sight.” This is mies’ sins against them and this
word simple here means fool- why God told Cain after he mur- is how the chapter (Acts 7:60)
ish or ignorant. A person may dered his brother Abel that his ended. If you keep your eyes on
not know a lot according to the blood cries out (Genesis 4:10). Jesus, you will always have a
world’s standards, but if they Abel was a man of faith but happy ending.
trust God, He will make up the Cain was evil. Therefore, Abel’s
The psalmist said I love God
difference.
spilled blood was precious in because He heard my cry, He
I encourage young people, God’s eyes and therefore God helps me, He gave me power
teenagers and children, to please confronted Cain about it.
to rest and I love Him because
don’t ever worry about not beSince the spilled blood and I am precious in His sight. Why
ing as gifted or smart as other the death of saints are extremely do you love God?
kids. Do your very best, but valuable in God’s eyes, then
Rev. Leon Collier is the pasnever worry if your test scores why should we worry as we live tor of Makarios Worship Center,
and ACT scores are not as high this life in Christ Jesus? Since 464 Church Road, Madison. He
as others, because if you will our death is valuable in God’s and wife, Minister Yolanda, are
IBLE B
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down and have people in place valuable whether we live in the Noel, Leona and Leondria.
SUNDAY:
Worship Services
to help you and lift you up.
poor house or the White House. Collier has received degrees
& 11:00
a.m. from Criswell College in DalNo. 3 – He gave me the powIf you8:00
willa.m.
recall,
Stephen
Sunday
School
9:30
er to rest. Psalm 116:7 states was stoned to death in Acts 7. a.m.
In las, Texas; Southern Method“Return to your rest, my soul, Acts 7:54, the religious leaders ist University – Perkins School
for 1600
the Lord
dealt bountiwith Stephen
be- a.m.
of Theology; and a masters of
MONDAY:became angry
Intercessory
Prayer 9:00
Florencehas
Avenue
fullyJackson,
withMS
you.”
39204To return to cause of what he said. Acts 7:55 divinity from Memphis Theosomething
obviously means
it’s states, “But
he, being
of p.m.
the logical Seminary; as well as
Ph: 601-355-2670
WEDNESDAY:
Prayer
Servicefull
6:30
something
you still have. It is Holy Spirit,
looked
up
steadin the
Fax: 601-355-0760
Classes: Children • Youthparticipated
• Adult - 7:00
p.m.Theological
as if the psalmist is saying, for fastly into heaven, and saw the Opportunities Program at Hara while I let myself get worried glory of God, and Jesus stand- vard Divinity School in Camabout my troubles, then I re- ing on the right hand of God.” bridge, Mass. Collier can be
membered that God helps me, I This verse said Jesus stood at reached by calling (601) 260remembered that God hears my the right hand of God, but Psalm 3016, (601) 855-7898 or e-mail
prayers/cries, and I remembered 110:1 and Matthew 22:44 say him at karab5@live.com
College Hill Missionary Baptist Church
www.collegehillchurch.org • chmbc@collegehillchurch.org
True Light leads community in prayer
True Light Missionary Baptist Church, 224 East Bell St.,
Jackson, recently began its 2016
prayer and fasting focus for
church members and friends.
Through the leadership of the
church’s pastor, the Rev. Marcus
Cheeks, the congregation is participating in a 21-day corporate
fast – a fast that involves a group
of believers who join together
for prayer and fasting for a specific purpose and time period
– private discipline that brings
public reward.
This year, as in previous
years, the church will publish a
prayer and fasting guide to serve
as a companion document for
the 2016 period of prayer and
fasting. The 2016 Prayer and
Fasting Guide will contain daily
topic and scripture(s) for meditation and prayer.
True Light’s leadership has
identified three reasons why par- dress Corporate Fasting include: ings will be released into your
ticipation in a corporate fast can 1 Samuel 7:5-6, Ezra 8:21-23, life.
Some scriptural references
be beneficial. They are:
Nehemiah 9:1-3, Joel 2:15-16,
for fasting are Matthew 6:161. Set the course for the entire Jonah 3:5-10, Acts 27:33-37.
year. Give God your first in all
Cheeks notes that as you re- 18, Matthew 9:14-15, Luke
things.
ceive the urge to eat meats, 18:9-14.
Those interested in participat2.
Establishes
blessing sweets and breads turn to the
throughout the year because of scripture and pray or sing prais- ing are encouraged to seek the
sacrifice offered at the begin- es unto God. God will honor Lord in prayer and let your decining of the year.
your sacrifice. Remember fast- sions about your biblical fasting
Bishop
from Him. Ask the Lord to
3. Release the power of giving
is aboutRonnie
the attitudeC.
of Crudup,
one’s comeSr.
you areas to target during
ing, prayer and fasting as pre- heart,
seeking
God. InMSshow
1770sincerely
Ellis Avenue
• Jackson,
39204
your time of fasting and prayer.
scribed in Matthew, Chapter 6.
turn,
God
responds with• aFAX
blessFFICE
. 601-371-1427
. 601-371-8282
O
The event will end Jan. 23 at
Cheeks has shared with his ing (Isaiah
58, Jeremiah 14:12, 1
www.newhorizonchurchms.org
midnight.
congregation and others that Corinthians 8:8).
To receive daily inspiration
the Bible identifies there are
A great promise
S U from
N DtheAbook
Y
and
three duties of every Christian: of Isaiah
proclaims
that
choos9:00 a.m. - Worship Services messages, send an email
give, pray and fast. He contin- ing to fast will “undo the heavy to rev.cheeks@gmail.com to
ues to stress that, “Biblical fast- burdens W
andE let
oppressed
D the
N E
S D A Ybe added to the True Light listing takes a lot of discipline and go free.”7:00
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living
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tough
p.m. - Bible
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strength – strength, which you economic times, and we know have corporate prayer at 6 a.m.
through Friday on the
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“Light
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Participants may
private discipline will bring you a 8:00
financial
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As
we
come
a.m. - Channel 14 (Comcast)
rewards in Heaven, says Mat- together to fast and pray, we be- join in by dialing (218) 486thew 6.”
lieve that your burdens will be 1348; pass code: 224BellSt# or
6 a.m.
6 p.m.
224235578#.
Some Biblical verses that ad-Prayer
lifted Everyday:
and that financial
bless-and
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Spiritual time
management
By Shewanda Riley
Columnist
The phrase,
“It’s the most
wonderful time
of the year”
doesn’t
just
apply to the
Christmas holidays. For college teachers, this
phrase also applies to the end of
any school semester when one
peculiar thing happens. With
the end near, students who realize that they might not pass
anxiously ask for extra credit
to help them pass. Some even
have a hard time focusing on
the last few weeks of class work
because of the distraction of the
work that has not been done.
Many students admit that it was
poor time management that put
them behind.
I think we sometimes unintentionally poorly manage our
spiritual time in much the same
way. We wait until it seems as
though things are at the breaking
point, and then we go to God and
ask for help. We pray only after
someone has been sent to jail
or after the bad diagnosis from
the doctor. But by doing so, we
may end up stuck in place where
it’s hard to follow God into the
future. Even worse, many of us
can’t prepare for the future and
miss out on present blessings
because we still haven’t let go of
the past.
A few years ago, I was consumed by fear over something
that I thought would happen. I
don’t even remember what it
was, but I do remember God’s
response during my prayers:
“Why are you worried what
happened last year or what may
D
happen next week? I’ve already
taken care of those. Why don’t
you follow me into 2013?”
Since it was mid 2012 and I
was bound by time and not the
maker of it, I obviously couldn’t
do that. Then the words of the
praise song “Jehovah Nissi”
came to my mind. “Jehovah
Nissi you are our banner, you go
before us and prepare the way.”
I had to follow him in faith.
We are taught to follow God
in faith and not by what we see
or feel through scriptures like
Isaiah 46:10: “I make known
the end from the beginning,
from ancient times, what is still
to come. I say: My purpose will
stand, and I will do all that I
please.” We can follow confidently because God would never lead us somewhere where his
grace can’t keep us.
Because he is not limited
to time and he already knows
what’s ahead, God can take care
of the present, restore our past
and prepare the future...all at the
same time.
With the new year coming up,
we should keep that in mind as
we put together goals for 2016.
Many of those lists begin with
very admirable goals. “I will
start to exercise.” “I will pay off
my credit cards.” Some of them
will include things we didn’t get
done in 2015.
Here’s a thought: Think about
where you believe God already
is concerning that thing…and
try to meet him there in faith.
Have a fantastic New Year
2016.
Shewanda Riley is a Fort
Worth, Texas based author who
can be reached at lovehangover@juno.com.
Shekinah Glory
Baptist Church
“Shining the Radiant
Light of His Glory”
W E E K LY A C T I V I T I E S
NewSunday
Bethel
Missionary
Baptist
Church
9:30 a.m.
Fulfillment Hour
(Sunday School)
Pastor, Dr. F. R. Lenoir
11:00 a.m. MorningSunday
Worship
Service
School
- 9:15 a.m.
Sunday Morning Worship - 10:30 a.m.
Tuesday 6:30 p.m.
Prayer Time & Bible Study
Thursday6:30 p.m.
WOAD
AM 1300
- 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Adult
Choir
Rehearsal
Live Radio Broadcast
Saturday 11:00 a.m. Youth & Young Adult Choir Rehearsal
Please join us in any or all of these activities. You are WELCOME!
“A Church Preparing for a
485 W. Northside Drive
• Jackson, MS
Home Not Built by Man”
601-981-4979 • Bro. Karl
E Twyner, pastor
New Bethel M. B. Church • 450 Culberston Ave. • Jackson, MS 39209
601-969-3481/969-3482 • Fax # 601-969-1957 • E-Mail: Serenitynbc@aol.com
H oly Temple M.B. Chur ch
5077 Cabaniss Circle - Jackson, MS 39209
(601) 922-6588; holytemplembchurch@yahoo.com
Sunday School - 8 a.m.
Sunday Morning Worship - 9:30 a.m.
Tuesday Bible Study - 6:30 p.m.
GET YOUR CURRENT NEWS AND WATCH AP VIDEOS ONLINE AT:
“The Church That’s on the Move for Christ
for Such a Time as This”
________________________
REV. AUDREY L. HALL, PASTOR
REV. DR. AVA S. HARVEY, SR., OVERSEER
OPINION
JANUARY 7 - 13, 2016
Police kill unarmed black men out of fear
By Jeffrey L. Boney
Special from the
Houston Forward Times
As the number of unarmed
African-American
shooting
and murder victims
continues
to climb, at the
hands of law enforcement officials, without any accountability, there is tremendous reason
for concern; and to have those
officers fail to be indicted, there
is room for even more concern.
I need you to follow a disturbing pattern for me, please.
On January 16, 2014, Officer
Juventino Castro of the Houston
Police Department in Texas mistakes 26-year-old Jordan Baker
for a robbery suspect. Castro
shot and killed the unarmed
Baker and said that he feared for
his life in a statement from the
Houston Police Department.
On July 17, 2014, as New
York Police Department officers
attempt to subdue Eric Garner in
preparation for the arrest for allegedly selling loose cigarettes,
Officer Daniel Pantaleo uses a
chokehold that contributes to
Garner’s death. Pantaleo later
said that, “It is never my intention to harm anyone and I feel
very bad about the death of Mr.
Garner.”
On Aug. 5, 2014, Officer Sean
Williams shot and killed John
Crawford III inside a Walmart
in Beavercreek, Ohio. Crawford
was holding an air rifle that was
sold in the Walmart. Williams
said that, “[Crawford] wouldn’t
obey commands.” A grand jury
failed to indict Williams in the
shooting.
On August 9, 2014, Ferguson,
Mo., police officer Darren Wilson shoots and kills unarmed
Black teenager Michael Brown,
who was suspected of stealing
cigars from a local convenience
store. Wilson later said that,
“When I grabbed him, the only
way I can describe it is I felt
like a five-year-old holding onto
Hulk Hogan,” referring to the
confrontation that he reported
between himself and Brown.
On Nov. 22, 2014, after responding to a 9-1-1 call about
a person pointing a gun at people near a recreation center in
Cleveland, Ohio, Officer Timothy Loehmann, in about two
seconds within arriving on the
scene, shot and killed 12-yearold Tamir Rice, who was playing with a toy gun in the park.
The Huffington Post reported
that Loehmann had previously
resigned from a police department in a Cleveland-area suburb, after the police chief there,
“recommended his dismissal.”
“The deputy police chief
based his recommendation on a
firearms instructor’s report, obtained by NBC News, that
Loehmann was experiencing
an “emotional meltdown” that
made his facility with a handgun
‘dismal,’” The Huffington Post
reported.
In a statement following the
grand jury’s decision not to indict Officers Loehmann or Frank
Garmback, who was driving the
police car that day, in the shooting death of Rice, Cuyahoga
County Prosecutor Timothy McGinty said that Loehmann, “had
reason to fear for his life.”
All of these police incidents
took place in 2014, and all of
them involved law enforcement
officials who ended up killing a
Black person, without any accountability or consequences,
thanks to a grand jury that was
convened to hear the evidence
that was presented to them.
On Sep. 24, 2014, an Ohio
grand jury found Officer Sean
Williams’ actions were justified
in the fatal shooting death of
John Crawford III at a Wal-Mart
store, after a 9-1-1 caller reported that Crawford was waving
what appeared to be a rifle in the
store. Police said he was killed
after failing to obey commands
to put down what turned out to
be an air rifle taken from a shelf.
On Nov. 24, 2014, a Missouri grand jury decided not to
indict Ferguson police Officer
Racism and bigotry doing
well in the Republican Party
By Glenn Ellis
George Curry Media Columnist
As the 2016
election heats up,
there is something
wrong in a party
when the candidates don’t want
to operate with political correctness. In this election cycle, the
Republican candidates have decided to think and behave as an
outsider. By acting as an outsider,
they are not obligated to tell the
truth, and they can make up the
story as they go along.
Racism and bigotry are on the
platform that many of the Republican presidential candidates
are building their campaign
around, but it is being done with
code words. Political correctness
is one of the phrases that has a
subliminal message, and means
its okay to control things because you are white. There was
a time when there were very few
regulatory agencies, and there
were very few civil rights laws,
and being White was right.
The Republicans would like to
turn back the clock, so it’s okay
for Donald Trump to talk about
sending 10 million Hispanics
to their homeland, even if it is
breaking the law. Donald Trump
is standing on a platform of hate,
and many of the Republican
candidates condemn his policy
statements. But once the dust has
cleared, many of the Republican
candidates are adopting his racist
policies in their own campaigns.
The GOP ideological position
since President Obama has been
elected is to take an extreme position on conservatism, and the
Republican Party is primarily
for White people. With Trump
every week attacking a different
minority group, racism is alive
and well. A few months ago, Ted
Cruz was considered a radical
extremist, but in the presidential
campaign, he is thought of as a
middle mainstreamer.
There is something frightening happening in the Republican Party, when it is not trying
to improve its relevancy with
an increasing diverse American
population. Instead of trying to
diversify with other minority
voter groups, the candidates’ major focus is connecting with their
base, which is mostly white. The
base is angry, and they want to
change the way things are going
in America.
For some reason the Republicans think they will be able
to snap their fingers, and many
of their problems will simply
disappear. The Republicans refuse to discuss issues with race
on the campaign trail, and they
keep their heads buried in the
sand. Racism exists in every system in America, and infects the
very structure of daily life, but
the Republicans don’t see it as a
problem.
The Democrats are starting to
acknowledge that racism exists
and they are open to dialogue,
but it is a very complex problem.
They understand in order to win
the presidential election, they
must get the blacks and Hispanics engaged in the election and
campaign. Diversity is the reason President Obama won the
election in 2008 and 2012.
But in 2016, the Republicans
have decided that they can win
with a small percentage of the
minority vote, or none at all. This
is a problem for the leadership in
the Republican Party, because
after losing the presidential race
in 2012, they had decided to be
more inclusive. They understood
that the voting demographics
were changing, and it was necessary to engage more minorities.
But everything has been radically shifted since Trump has
been the frontrunner for six
months straight. Donald Trump
is standing on a platform of hate,
which he built for himself, because conservatism is a code
word for white supremacy and
white control.
Senate Minority Leader Harry
Reid says, “This sort of racism
has been prevalent in Republican politics for decades. Trump
is saying out loud what other
Republicans merely suggest.
Political leaders must condemn
these hateful un-American statements with their words and their
actions.”
Racism and bigotry should be
a campaign issue for every candidate on the trail and in all the
debates. It is time to stop dancing around racism in America,
and confront it with policies and
discussions.
Roger Caldwell is the president/CEO of On Point Media
Group, a marketing and public relations firm located in Orlando, Fla. He is a graduate of
Howard University in political
science. As a stroke survivor,
author, and community journalist, his passion is national
and statewide politics. Follow
him at rogerpoliticalblogs.
wordpress.com or leave comments at jet38@bellsouth.net.
Darren Wilson in the August
2014 shooting death of unarmed
Black teen Michael Brown, who
countless witnesses say had both
his hands up in surrender in the
street.
On Dec. 3, 2014, a grand jury
in Staten Island decided not indict New York City Police Officer Daniel Pantaleo in relation
to the death of Eric Garner, a
man that Pantaleo was seen on
video putting in an apparent
choke hold in July 2014.
On Dec. 23, 2014, a Harris
County grand jury decided not
to indict Houston Police Department (HPD) Officer Juvenito
Castro for his role in the January
2014 shooting death of unarmed
26-year-old Jordan Baker.
And now, on Dec. 28, 2015,
an Ohio grand jury decided not
to return an indictment on Officers Timothy Loehmann and
Frank Garmback, the two officers involved in the November
2014 police shooting death of
12-year-old Tamir Rice, who
was killed within seconds of police jumping out of their vehicle
to confront the boy who was
playing with a toy gun.
These police killings have
opened up the floodgates of discussion about race, grand juries
and the negative perception problem that society has about African Americans in this country.
The overarching perception
that many officers and grand juries seem to have is that Black
people are traditionally overly
aggressive and are inherently up
to no good.
Sadly, most police shootings
of unarmed black men tend to
turn out the same way. The involved police officers are put
on administrative leave; a grand
jury is convened and fails to indict the police officer or officers;
and then the police officer returns to his or her job and seemingly gets away with a slap on
the wrist or no punishment at all.
After seeing many of the instances, especially those with
clear and accessible video footage, it is clear that body cameras
are not the only solution to this
epidemic. We can look at instances caught on camera such
as Eric Garner, Oscar Grant,
Jordan Baker, Rodney King and
Tamir Rice as prime examples
of how acts of police brutality
even caught on video camera
can lead to a non-indictment by
a grand jury.
Because the grand jury proceedings are secretive and not
made public, we will never
know why the grand jury decided not to indict any of these
officers.
What we do know is there are
several similarities surrounding
the deaths of black people in this
country; one being that officers
always typically say they were
in “fear of their lives,” and the
other being that most officers
get away scott-free with no accountability for their actions.
Until people see this as a
major issue and get engaged in
seeking to bring forth change,
however, we will continue to see
the same results.
Black people must no longer
be looked at as guilty criminals
that are not worthy of having a
member of law enforcement,
who deserves to be indicted,
held accountable for their irresponsible actions.
Honestly, it isn’t the officers
that should be in fear for their
lives, it is the black men and
women who walk these streets
every day who should really be
in fear for their lives.
Jeffrey L. Boney serves as associate editor and is an awardwinning journalist for the Houston Forward Times newspaper.
Jeffrey is a frequent contributor on the Nancy Grace Show
and has a daily radio talk show
called Real Talk with Jeffrey L.
Boney. He is a Next Generation
Project Fellow, international
speaker, experienced entrepreneur, business development
strategist and founder/CEO of
the Texas Business Alliance. If
you would like to request Jeffrey
as a speaker, you can reach him
at jboney1@forwardtimes.com.
From employment to empowerment,
why what you drive matters
By Glenda Gill
NNPA News Wire Guest Columnist
Ever
since
Henry
Ford
declared he’d
pay $5 a day to
workers in his
factories, African Americans
have had a love affair with
the automotive industry in
the United States. “The Great
Migration” of blacks from the
South to the North was largely
due to the demand for factory
labor.
In 1910, fewer than 600
autoworkers were African
-American. By 1929, that number grew to more than 25,000.
Unfortunately from then until
now, the love we’ve had for the
auto industry has gone largely
unreturned. Making sure there
is equity in our relationships
with the auto industry drives
my work on the Rainbow
PUSH Automotive Project,
the annual Global Automotive
Summit and the Automotive
Diversity Scorecard.
According to IHS Polk, all
people of color purchase 27
of every 100 new vehicles and
represent 150% more growth
than non-ethnic markets. Additionally, African Americans
lead the industry in brand loyalty with more than half returning to the same brand. Simply
put, without ethnic purchases
many automakers would go
out of business.
After 40-plus years of diversity talks, meetings and
summits, it’s time to advance
our agenda. We are trading
partners. Our goal is to have
equitable trade relationships
that benefits all parties – our
communities and automakers.
With all the labor, money and
expertise we have invested in
the success of automakers, we
should expect a reasonable return.
What would our return look
like? Well, here’s my take:
• Employment with leadership roles to direct and allocate
resources (dollars and people)
• Appointing people of color
to corporate boards
• Fair representation of ethnic dealers and suppliers
• Advertising spending with
ethnic media, ethnic agencies
and vendors in line with ethnic
sales
• Philanthropic resources to
offset the lack of investment in
communities of color
What does this mean to you
and me? It means having a
dealer nearby that is part of
the community. It means getting a fair deal and reasonable
auto loan rates because you’ll
see that salesperson in church
on Sunday. It means more employment for our youth when
they graduate. It means entrepreneurs can have healthy businesses and hire our neighbors,
because they have profitable
contracts. It means creative
professionals of color can develop advertising for ethnic
media outlets. It means rewarding automakers that behave
like trading partners. In short,
it means equity and justice.
Before we can claim equity
and justice, we have to fully
understand the scope of the
issues. The automotive Diversity Scorecard is our first step
towards identifying the issues
important to us. It serves as
a way to make sure that what
auto companies promise in the
boardroom actually happens
on the streets.
While the scorecard is a
great tool for us to encourage positive change, we know
there is more to the story. The
rest of the story relates to ownership and decision making,
whether as a dealer, a supplier,
a vendor or as a person buying
a new vehicle.
You can make a difference!
As you shop for your next vehicle, consider the information
in the scorecard and the power
you have in voting with your
wallet. As you shop, ask the
dealers where they advertise
and if they have ads in local
ethnic newspapers, radio, TV
or magazines. You have a right
to know how their business actions impact your community.
If you are financing, get at
least one quote from your local
credit union or bank to compare with the dealer’s financing. Last, tell your family and
friends about the scorecard.
Refer them to www.automotiveproject.org so they can do
their own research.
By sharing this information,
we intend to start a conversation that leads to more empowerment within our communities and greater transparency
from those automotive companies that value our dollars and
want to establish an equitable
trading relationship.
Glenda Gill is the executive
director of the Rainbow PUSH
Automotive Project. More information can be found at
www.automotiveproject.org.
Editorials and Letters to the Editor may be e-mailed to editor@mississippilink.com or mailed to 2659 Livingston Road, Jackson, MS 39213. The views and opinions expressed on the Op/Ed
pages are not necessarily the views and opinions of The Mississippi Link. The Mississippi Link also reserves the right to edit all material for length and accuracy.
NATIONAL
JANUARY 7 - 13, 2016
North Korea’s test of h-bomb met
with widespread skepticism
By Foster Klug
Associated Press
SEOUL, South Korea – Soon
after the ground shook around
its nuclear testing facility, North
Korea trumpeted its first hydrogen bomb test - a self-proclaimed
“H-bomb of justice” that would
mark a major and unanticipated
advance for its still-limited nuclear arsenal.
The announcement Wednesday by the defiant, impoverished
country was met with widespread skepticism, as well as
a strong condemnation by the
U.N. Security Council, which
said it would begin work on a
resolution for new international
sanctions.
North Korea’s fourth nuclear
test likely pushed its scientists
and engineers closer to their
goal of building a warhead small
enough to place on a missile that
can reach the U.S. mainland.
But South Korea’s spy agency
thought the estimated explosive
yield from the blast was much
smaller than what even a failed
hydrogen bomb detonation
would produce, and the White
House said its early analysis of
underground activity “is not consistent” with the North’s claim of
a successful H-bomb test.
There was a burst of jubilation
and pride in Pyongyang. A North
Korean TV anchor said the test
of a “miniaturized” hydrogen
bomb had been a “perfect success” that elevated the country’s
“nuclear might to the next level.”
A large crowd celebrated in
front of the capital’s main train
station as the announcement was
read on a big video screen, with
people applauding, cheering and
recording the report on their mobile phones.
North Korea’s state media
called the test a self-defense
measure against a potential U.S.
attack. “The (country’s) access
to H-bomb of justice, standing
North Koreans watch a news broadcast on a video screen outside Pyongyang Railway Station in Pyongyang,
North Korea, Jan. 6. North Korea said it had conducted a hydrogen bomb test, a defiant and surprising move
that, if confirmed, would put Pyongyang a big step closer toward improving its still-limited nuclear arsenal.
AP PHOTO/KIM KWANG HYON
against the U.S., the chieftain of
aggression ..., is the legitimate
right of a sovereign state for selfdefense and a very just step no
one can slander.”
There was high-level concern
in Seoul and elsewhere. South
Korean President Park Geun-hye
ordered her military to bolster its
combined defense posture with
U.S. forces. She called the test
a “grave provocation” and “an
act that threatens our lives and
future.” Japanese Prime Minister
Shinzo Abe said, “We absolutely
cannot allow this.”
U.S. Defense Secretary Ash
Carter spoke by phone with his
South Korean counterpart Han
Min-Koo, and they agreed that a
North Korean nuclear test would
be an “unacceptable and irresponsible provocation,” according to Carter’s spokesman, Peter
Cook.
NNPA Foundation
launches antihuman trafficking
Washington, D.C. – The National Newspaper Publishers Association Foundation commences National
Human Trafficking Awareness month by launching
its own anti-human trafficking campaign, UNDress,
which stands for Undermining Nationwide Demand
for the recruitment, exploitation and sexual solicitation of women and children. The campaign will target those who buy and traffick women and children
by placing public service announcements in places
where buyers typically ‘shop’ for sexual services.
“The NNPA Foundation is in a unique position
to address this issue, because we can generate education and awareness by utilizing our own media
products,” says Kimberly Johnson, the foundation’s
executive director.
Years before her term at the NNPA Foundation,
Johnson conducted speaking and training events all
over Georgia, working with trafficking survivors, local nonprofits, government agencies, advocates and
local and national law enforcement. Johnson is certified to train on human trafficking and child sexual
abuse and is an award-winning producer of the docufilm, Sex Trafficking in Atlanta: A Survivor’s Perspective.
“The issue of human trafficking, particularly sex
trafficking, is partly fueled by salacious images in
media”, Johnson says. “We plan to counter the effects of those images through our own content and
resources. We are looking to partner with other organizations in this effort.”
The National Newspaper Publishers Association
will hold its Mid-Winter Conference in Coconut
Grove, Fla., Jan. 27-30, where the NNPA Foundation
will announce its initiative during a press luncheon.
The NNPA Foundation has plans to host a series
of human trafficking town hall meetings in 2016, including one in D.C. during the organization’s Black
Press Week conference in March. Other initiatives
scheduled for launch include STEM Reach 2020.
To support the NNPA Foundation, visit nnpafoundation.org and click donate.
Cook said Carter reaffirmed
the U.S. treaty commitment to
defend South Korea, which he
said includes “all aspects of the
United States’ extended deterrence” - an allusion to a longstanding U.S. promise to defend
South Korea with nuclear weapons if necessary.
In saying an early analysis
by the U.S. was “not consistent
with the claims that the regime
has made of a successful hydrogen bomb test,” White House
spokesman Josh Earnest added
that nothing has happened in the
last 24 hours to change Washington’s assessment of Pyongyang’s
technical or military capabilities.
Washington and nuclear experts have been skeptical of past
North Korean claims about hydrogen bombs, which are much
more powerful and much more
difficult to make than atomic
bombs. A confirmed test would
further worsen already abysmal
relations between Pyongyang
and its neighbors and lead to a
strong push for tougher sanctions.
Following a closed-door,
emergency session, the U.N. Security Council called the test “a
clear violation” of the council’s
resolutions.
“Therefore a clear threat to
international peace and security
continues to exist,” the statement
said.
The council said it would begin work immediately on a new
sanctions resolution in light of
“the gravity of this violation.”
Before the meeting, U.N.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
condemned the test as “profoundly destabilizing for regional security,” and demanded
North Korea cease further nucle-
ar activities and meet its obligations for “for verifiable denuclearization.”
A successful H-bomb test
would be a big advance in North
Korea’s nuclear weapons program. Fusion is the main principle behind the hydrogen bomb,
which can be hundreds of times
more powerful than atomic
bombs that use fission. In a hydrogen bomb, radiation from a
nuclear fission explosion sets off
a fusion reaction responsible for
a powerful blast and radioactivity.
A South Korean lawmaker
said the country’s spy agency
told him in a briefing that Pyongyang may not have conducted a
hydrogen bomb test given the
relatively small size of the seismic wave reported.
An estimated explosive yield
of 6.0 kilotons and a quake with
a magnitude of 4.8 (the U.S.
reported 5.1) were detected,
lawmaker Lee Cheol Woo said
he was told by the National
Intelligence Service. That’s
smaller than the estimated explosive yield of 7.9 kilotons and
4.9-magnitude quake reported
after a 2013 nuclear test, he
said, and only a fraction of the
hundreds of kilotons that a successful H-bomb test would usually yield. Even a failed H-bomb
detonation typically yields tens
of kilotons, the NIS told Lee,
who sits on the parliament’s intelligence committee.
A miniaturized H-bomb can
trigger a weak quake, but only
the U.S. and Russia have such
weapons, Lee cited the NIS as
saying.
“I’m pretty skeptical,” said
Melissa Hanham, senior researcher at the James Martin
Center for Nonproliferation
Studies at the Middlebury Institute for International Studies
in Monterey, California. “The
seismic data indicates it would
be very small for a hydrogen test.
“It seems just too soon to have
this big technical achievement,”
she said. “But North Korea has
always defied expectations.”
While also noting the quake
was likely too small for an Hbomb test, Jaiki Lee, a professor
of nuclear engineering at Seoul’s
Hanyang University, said the
North could have experimented
with a “boosted” hybrid bomb
that uses some nuclear fusion
fuel along with more conventional uranium or plutonium fuel.
Joel Wit, founder of the North
Korea-focused 38 North website,
said a boosted bomb “is the most
likely option,” while adding that
he isn’t surprised that North Korea has shifted focus to hydrogen
weaponry.
“Every nuclear power essentially moves down the same track
as they develop nuclear weapons,” he said. “And that track is
miniaturization, but also increasing the yield of nuclear weapons.
That’s what the Americans did;
that’s what the Russians did.”
The announcement was greeted in Pyongyang with an expected rush of nationalistic pride and
some bewilderment.
Kim Sok Chol, 32, told The
Associated Press that he doesn’t
know much about H-bombs, but
added: “Since we have it, the
U.S. will not attack us.”
University student Ri Sol
Yong, 22, said, “If we didn’t have
powerful nuclear weapons, we
would already have been turned
into the slaves of the U.S.”
It could be weeks before the
true nature of the test is confirmed by outside experts - if
they are able to do so at all.U.S.
Air Force aircraft designed to
detect the evidence of a nuclear
test, such as radioactive particulate matter and blast-related
noble gases, could be deployed
from a U.S. base on the Japanese
island of Okinawa.
House vote to send health law
repeal to Obama for first time
By Erica Werner
AP Congressional Correspondent
WASHINGTON – After dozens
of failed attempts to undo President
Barack Obama’s health care law, the
GOP-led Congress will finally put a
bill on the president’s desk Wednesday striking at the heart of his signature legislative achievement.
Obama will veto the bill, and so
the ultimate outcome will be the
same as the many previous GOP attempts to repeal “Obamacare.” But
the vote in the House, in its first legislative act of this presidential election year, will mark the first time
such a bill makes it all the way to the
White House.
Unlike past efforts that were
blocked by Senate Democrats, this
time the legislation was written under special rules protecting it from a
Democratic filibuster. It passed the
Senate late last year, and so Wednesday’s House vote will send it straight
to Obama.
House GOP leaders said the vote
and Obama’s subsequent veto will
lay bare a stark choice between the
parties in a presidential election
year. The legislation also cuts federal funding for Planned Parenthood.
Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton has decried
the legislation while leading GOP
candidates applaud it.
“We are confronting the president
with the hard, honest truth. Obamacare doesn’t work,” Speaker Paul
Ryan of Wisconsin told reporters
Wednesday. But he acknowledged:
Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., chairman of the House Budget Committee and a physician, appears before the Rules Committee, joined at right by Rep. John
Yarmuth, D-Ky., a member of the House Budget Committee, as he sponsors
legislation that would repeal President Barack Obama’s signature health
care law, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Jan. 5. The legislation will be the first
order of business as the House returns from the holiday break and will mark
the first time a bill repealing the health law makes it all the way to the White
House. AP PHOTO/J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE
“Ultimately, this is going to require
a Republican president. That’s why
our top priority in 2016 is going to
be offering the country a clear choice
with a bold pro-growth agenda.”
However Ryan hedged when
asked whether the House will ever
vote on a replacement to Obamacare. Ryan has pledged that the
House will come up with its own
plan this year - something the GOP
has repeatedly promised but failed
to do in the nearly six years since
the law’s enactment. He said details
such as whether it will actually come
to a vote have not been determined.
“Nothing’s been decided yet,”
Ryan said.
Democrats and administration allies denounced the vote as a waste
of time aimed at placating GOP base
voters riled up by Donald Trump and
the unruly Republican presidential
race.
“Since both House and Senate
Republicans know President Obama
will veto the bill, this is nothing
more than government by temper
tantrum,” said Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA,
a health advocacy group. “If it were
real legislation, this unprecedented
action would constitute the largest
take-back of health care coverage in
our nation’s history.”
The bill being voted on Wednesday would dismantle the health
law’s key pillars, including requirements that most people obtain coverage and larger employers offer it to
workers.
It would eliminate the expansion
of Medicaid coverage to additional
lower-income people and the government’s subsidies for many who
buy policies on newly created insurance marketplaces. And it would
end taxes the law imposed to cover
its costs.
The bill would also terminate the
roughly $450 million yearly in federal dollars that go to Planned Parenthood, about a third of its budget.
A perennial target of conservatives,
the group came under intensified
GOP pressure last year over providing fetal tissue for research.
“It is appalling that in their first
week back in session the top priority for Republican leaders in the
House is rolling back women’s access to preventive health care,” said
Dawn Laguens, vice president of the
Planned Parenthood Action Fund.
GOP leaders hope to schedule a
veto override vote to coincide with
the Jan. 22 March for Life in Washington, the annual gathering of antiabortion activists on the anniversary
of the 1973 Supreme Court decision
that legalized abortion. Republicans
do not command enough votes to
override the president’s veto.
CLASSIFIED
JANUARY 7 - 13, 2016
LEGAL
LEGAL
PUBLIC NOTICE
Advertisement of Request for Proposals
City of Jackson, Mississippi
Stormwater Management Professional Engineering Services
City of Jackson Project No. 15B4010.701 6413
LEGAL NOTICE
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
LED JACKSON - PHASE 1
PUBLIC NOTICE
Proposals will be received by the City of Jackson, Mississippi, at the office of
the City Clerk, City Hall, 219 South President Street, P.O. Box 17, Jackson,
Mississippi 39205 until 3:30 P.M. Local Time, on Tuesday, January 26, 2016,
for supplying professional services for Stormwater Management Professional
Engineering Services for the City of Jackson, City Project No. 15B4010.7016413.
The City of Jackson is seeking responses to this Request for Proposals for
the services of experienced and professionally qualified engineering firms
with demonstrated expertise and experience in providing comprehensive
engineering services for study, design, investigations, and construction implementation for stormwater management capital improvement projects in
drainage basins identified as having the highest business risk exposure. It
is the intent of the Agency to award multiple contracts from this solicitation;
however, award of professional services contracts related to this request is
subject to the availability of funding.
A pre-proposal meeting will be held on Friday, January 15, 2016 at 3:00 PM
CST in the 5th Floor Conference Room of the Warren Hood Building, 200
South President Street, Jackson, Mississippi 39201. All proposers must email
a letter of interest to Lacey Reddix at lreddix@city.jackson.ms.us in order to
receive any addenda that may be issued.
The City of Jackson is committed to the principle of non-discrimination in
public contracting. It is the policy of the City of Jackson to promote full and
equal business opportunity for all persons doing business with the City. As
a pre-condition to selection, each contractor, bidder or offeror shall submit a
completed and signed Equal Business Opportunity (EBO) Plan, with the bid
submission, in accordance with the provision of the City of Jackson’s Equal
Business Opportunity (EBO) Executive Order. Failure to comply with the
City’s Executive Order shall disqualify a contractor, bidder, or offeror from
being awarded an eligible contract. For more information on the City of
Jackson’s Equal Business Opportunity Program, please contact the Office
of Economic Development at 601-960-1055. Copies of the Executive Order,
EBO Plan Applications and a copy of the program are available at 200 South
President Street, Room 223, Hood Building, Jackson, Mississippi.
The City of Jackson is committed to efficient utilization of its resources. One
component of this commitment is reduction of energy consumption where
possible. The City owns and/or operates in excess of 200 facilities and intends to retrofit lighting components with efficient LED (Light Emitting Diode)
for energy and operational savings. Phase 1 of this initiative includes 12
facilities totaling 290,472 + SF.
Request for Proposal packets may be obtained from the Engineering Division
of Public Works, 200 South President Street, Suite 424, Warren Hood Building, Jackson, MS, or call Mr. Philip Barnes at (601) 960-1132. Proposals will
be received by the City Clerk of Jackson, Mississippi, at 219 South President
Street, Jackson, Mississippi 39201 or at Post Office Box 17, Jackson, Mississippi 39205 until 3:30 PM, local time, February 16, 2016. A Mandatory
Pre-Proposal Conference will be held on January 20, 2016, at 10:00 AM in
the Andrew Jackson Conference Room of the Warren Hood Building, 200 S
President St, Jackson, MS, 39201.
The City of Jackson is committed to the principle of non-discrimination in public contracting. It is the policy of the City of Jackson to promote full and equal
business opportunity for all persons doing business with the City. As a precondition to selection, each proposer shall submit a completed and signed
Equal Business Opportunity (EBO) Plan with the proposal submission, in
accordance with the provisions of the City of Jackson’s Equal Business Opportunity (EBO) Executive Order. Failure to comply with the City’s Executive
Order shall disqualify a proposer from being awarded an eligible contract.
For more information on the City of Jackson’s Equal Business Opportunity
Program, please contact the Division of Equal Business Opportunity at 601960-1856. Copies of the City of Jackson’s Executive Order, EBO Plan Applications, and a copy of the program are available at the following location: 200
South President Street, Room 223, Jackson, Mississippi; or can be accessed
on City of Jackson’s Equal Business Opportunity webpage.
The City of Jackson hereby notifies all proposers that in compliance with Title
VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 2000d to 2000d-4,
that all proposers will be afforded full opportunity to submit proposals in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds
of race, color, national origin, or sex, in consideration for an award.
The City of Jackson, Mississippi (“City of Jackson”) is committed to cultivating and ensuring the quality of life of its citizens, through various programs,
employment, initiatives, and assistance. The City encourages all persons,
corporations, and/or entities doing business within the City, as well as those
who seek to contract with the City on various projects and/or conduct business in the City to assist the City in achieving its goal by strongly considering
City residents for employment opportunities.
The City of Jackson, Mississippi is committed to cultivating and ensuring the
quality of life of its citizens, through various programs, employment, initiatives,
and assistance. The City of Jackson encourages all persons, corporations, and/
or entities doing business within the City of Jackson, as well as those who seek
to contract with the City of Jackson on various projects and/or conduct business
in Jackson to assist the City of Jackson in achieving its goal by strongly considering city of Jackson residents for employment opportunities.
The City of Jackson hereby notifies all proposers that in compliance with Title
VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 2000d to 2000d-4
that all proposers will be afforded full opportunity to submit proposals in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds
of race, color, national origin, sex, or disability in consideration for an award.
Kishia L. Powell
Director, Department of Public Works
For a copy of the Request for Proposals for Stormwater Management Professional Engineering Services, please contact Lacey Reddix at lreddix@city.
jackson.ms.us or 601-960-2041.
Kishia L. Powell
Gus McCoy
Chief Administrative Officer
Terry Williamson
Legal Counsel
1/7/2016, 1/14/2016
LEGAL
REQUEST FOR QUOTES FOR
RECYCLING SERVICES AT
JACKSON-EVERS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
AND HAWKINS FIELD GENERAL AVIATION AIRPORT
Project # 002-16
INFORMATION FOR RESPONDENTS
The Jackson Municipal Airport Authority (“JMAA”) requests Quotes (“Quotes”)
for solid waste and recycling services for JacksonMedgar Wiley Evers International Airport (“JAN”), and Hawkins Field (“HKS”).
JMAA will receive Quotes to perform the Services at the offices of JMAA,
Suite 300, Main Terminal Building, Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International
Airport, 100 International Drive, Jackson, Mississippi 39208, until 3:00 p.m.
on February 4, 2016 (the “Deadline”).
JMAA will not consider any Quotes received after the Deadline for any reason
whatsoever. Information for Respondents relating to this Request for Quotes
is on file and open for public inspection at the offices of JMAA. The Information for Respondents contains a copy of the Request for Quotes, General
Information for Respondents, and Information Required from Respondents.
Interested persons may obtain a copy of the Information for Respondents
from JMAA by contacting Ms. Karen Hatten, JMAA’s Procurement Specialist,
as follows:
Jackson Municipal Airport Authority
100 International Drive, Suite 300 (39208)
Post Office Box 98109
Jackson, Mississippi 39298-8109
Attention: Karen Hatten, Procurement Specialist
Telephone No.: (601) 939-5631, ext. 210
Facsimile No.: (601) 939-3713
E-Mail: khatten@jmaa.com
or from JMAA’s website at www.jmaa.com/resources/rfprfb-center/.
1/7/2016, 1/14/2016
Gus McCoy
Terry Williamson
Legal Counsel
12/31/2015, 1/7/2016
LEGAL
Request for Proposals
Sealed proposals will be received by the City of Jackson, Mississippi, until
3:30 P.M. Central Standard Time on February 16, 2016, City Hall, 219 South
President 39201, to Furnish and Install New/Retrofit single space and /or
multi-space parking pay stations and mobile parking payment system for the
City of Jackson, Mississippi.
A pre-proposal conference will be held on February 4, 2016 at 10:00 A.M. in
the 5th floor conference room of the Warren Hood Building, 200 South President Street, Jackson, MS. All potential proposers and other interested parties
are encouraged to attend.
A copy of the Proposal Package may be procured from the Infrastructure
Management Division in the Warren Hood Building - 5th Floor, Room 531,
located at 200 South President St., Jackson, Mississippi 39205.
The City of Jackson is committed to the principle of non-discrimination in public contracting. Therefore, the City of Jackson requests that prospective vendors and contractors carefully examine their method of selecting subcontractors and suppliers, to ensure that they are not either actively, or passively,
discriminating against Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) and Female
Business Enterprises (FBEs). As a bidder seeking to do business with the
City of Jackson, you are expected to adhere to a policy of non-discrimination,
and to make the maximum practicable effort to ensure that historically underutilized firms are given an opportunity to participate in the performance
of contracts financed in whole, or in part, with City funds. For further details
about complying with this ordinance, please contact the Office of Economic
Development, phone number 960-1638. Copies of the ordinance, EBO Plan
applications and copies of the program are available at 200 South President
Street, 2nd floor, Jackson, Mississippi.
The City of Jackson hereby notifies all bidders that in compliance with Title VI
of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 2000d to 2000d-4 that
all bidders will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this
invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color,
national origin, or sex in consideration for an award.
The City of Jackson, Mississippi (“City of Jackson”) is committed to cultivating
and ensuring the quality of life of its citizens, through various programs, employment, initiatives, and assistance. The City encourages all persons, corporations, and/or entities doing business within the City, as well as those who
seek to contract with the City on various projects and or conduct business in
the City, to assist the City in achieving its goal by strongly considering City
residents for employment opportunities.
The City of Jackson reserves the right to reject any and all bids and to waive
any informalities or irregularities therein.
Kishia L. Powell
Gus McCoy
1/7/2016, 1/14/2016
CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING
Tired of renting? Try affordable homeownership through Habitat for Humanity
Mississippi Capital Area. Learn more at an informational meeting at 5:30 p.m.
Jan. 7 and Feb. 4 at the Jackson Medical Mall Community Room; or call 601353-6060 or visit http://www.habitatmca.org/.
1/14/2016
Crossword Solution
© Feature Exchange
RURAL AREAS PROGRAM (5311)
ENHANCED MOBILITY OF SENIORS &
INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES PROGRAM (5310)
TRANSPORTATION APPLICATIONS
The Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) is soliciting applications
for the following Federal Transit Administration (FTA) formula grant transportation programs through the Public Transit Division:
Section 5311 Rural Areas Program
Eligible applicants include State and local governmental authorities, Indian
Tribes, private non-profit organizations, and private operators of public transportation services under special contractual arrangements. Although an applicant’s proposal may target specific client groups, services for the general
public must be included. Applicants are reminded that participation in a local
coordinated planning process must also be clearly documented. Consequently, projects must be derived from an approved local Human Service Public
Transportation Coordination Plan.
This program funds general public, job access and reverse commute and certain intercity bus transportation services in areas with less than 50,000 in population. Approximately $14,500,000 in FTA funds are expected to be available
for capital, operating, planning and administration expenses that may support
general public, job access and reverse commute and intercity transportation
services. These funds will be made available based upon Moving Ahead for
Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21) federal appropriation. MDOT will also
to the greatest extent utilize any available older 5311 Safe Affordable Flexible
Transportation Equity Act-A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) funds to fund
projects.
A job access and reverse commute project is defined as a transportation project that may provide planning, capital and/or operating costs of services
designed to transport welfare recipients and eligible low-income individuals
to and from jobs and activities related to their employment”. This may include
projects that involve trips to and from urbanized areas or rural areas to suburban employment locations.
Intercity transportation services may include rural and small urban areas. Eligible intercity bus activities include planning and marketing for intercity bus
transportation, capital, some operating cost and coordination of rural connections between rural transit projects and intercity carriers.
5310 Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities Program
(Rural, Small and Large Urban)
This program provides funds for private non-profit organizations to implement
services that:
1) serve the special needs of transit-dependent populations beyond traditional
public transportation service, where public transportation is insufficient, inappropriate, or unavailable; 2) exceed the requirements of the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA); 3) improve access to fixed route service and decrease
reliance on complementary paratransit; and 4) are alternatives to public transportation. Capital and operating awards will be provided from approximately $1,700,000 in federal funds made available for rural (Less than 50,000 in
population), small urban areas (50,000 – 199,999 in population) and a small
portion to large urban areas (200,000 or more population) within the Desoto
County urbanized area by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). These
funds will be made available from MAP-21 funding appropriations. MDOT will
also to the greatest extent utilize any available older 5310 SAFETEA-LU to
fund projects.
Eligible applicants include private non-profit organizations or public bodies that
coordinate services for seniors and individuals with disabilities. Applicants
must document that they can provide the local match required for all capital
and operating costs. Local match funds may be derived from state, local or
certain other federal funds. Projects must be included in a locally developed
coordinated plan.
Applicants wishing to apply for funding via this announcement must submit a
written request for an application package. This request may be sent to us by
regular mail, fax, or email. Applications for the 5311 program must be received
in our office by 5:00 p.m. on March 1, 2016 and the 5310 program by March
25, 2016.
It is the policy of the MDOT and the FTA that no persons or groups shall, on the
grounds of race, color, creed, national origin, sex, age, or disability be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.
For more information about these programs and the respective application
process, please contact Shirley Wilson, Director, Public Transit Division, Mississippi Department of Transportation at P. O. Box 1850, Mail Code 61-01,
Jackson, MS 39215-1850 or by telephone at (601) 359-7800, by fax at (601)
359-7777, or by email at HYPERLINK “mailto:swilson@mdot.ms.gov” swilson@mdot.ms.gov.
The Public Transit Division has scheduled application workshops on January 13, 2016 for 5310 perspective applicants and January 14, 2016 for 5311
perspective applicants at the JSU Mississippi E-Center located at 1230 Raymond Rd, Jackson, MS 39204. All attendees are requested to register for the
workshop on or before January 7, 2016. The registration form is located on
the MDOT website at http://mdot.ms.gov/portal/Public_Transit.aspx. Registration forms may be submitted via email to HYPERLINK “mailto:devans@
mdot.ms.gov” devans@mdot.ms.gov, faxed or mailed to the above address
and number. The workshops will begin at 9:00 a.m. and will include discussions of each formula grant program as well as the local coordinated planning
requirements.
12/31/2015, 1/7/2016
Drivers:
CDL-A 1 yr exp. Home nightly, Excellent
Health/Supplemental Benefits, .40 cpm
based on PSP and MVR. Van freight 250
mile radius around Vicksburg, MS.
Eric or Victoria 256-432-3944 7am-7pm
Cryptogram Solution
© Feature Exchange
JANUARY 7 - 13, 2016
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JANUARY 7 - 13, 2016
Lady Tigers hold off AAMU Alcorn tops Prairie View,
but falls to Texas Southern
Mississippi Link Newswire
The Jackson State women’s
basketball team improved their
record 8-5 and 2-0 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference
with a 59-58 win over Alabama
A&M Jan. 4.
The Lady Tigers (8-5, 2-0)
fought hard against the Lady
Bulldogs (1-11, 0-2) to pull of
Monday’s win.
JSU took the first quarter by
two points, putting up 16 while
holding AAMU to 14. The Lady
Tigers charged their defense in
the second quarter and expanded the scoring effort landing 21
points while only allowing 12
to close the half up 37-26.
By the end of the third quarter, JSU advanced their lead
to 52-38 but AAMU surged in
their effort in the fourth quarter.
AAMU was able to close
the gap and bring the game to
just 57-51 with 2:14 left in the
game.
Chelsea Causey made a big
layup with 54 seconds left to
give JSU a 59-53 advantage.
With just 30 seconds left,
AAMU landed a three-pointer
putting the game at 59-58 JSU.
For the last seconds of the
game, the Lady Tigers held
their defensive pressure and
was able to clinch the win.
Bridget Robinson, senior
guard, led the Lady Tigers in
Jackson State’s Bridget Robinson works to get past an Alabama
A&M defender Monday night. PHOTO COURTESY OF JACKSON STATE ATHLETICS MEDIA
scoring with 9 points. Four
Lady Tigers, Meyonsha Riddles, Derica Wiggins, Daisha
Williams, and Kierra Adams,
aided in the scoring effort, donating 7 points each.
Chelsea Causey led the rebounding effort bringing down
a total of 7 boards.
The Lady Tigers shot 38.2
percent from the field, 22.2 per-
cent in three-point range, and
75.0 percent at the free-throw
line. AAMU shot 39.3 percent
from the field, 23.1 percent in
three-point range, and 57.9 percent at the free-throw line.
Jackson State will be back in
action Jan. 9, when they travel
to Lorman to face in-state rival
Alcorn State University. Tip-off
is scheduled for 3 p.m.
Valley thrills with 66-60 win
PRAIRIE VIEW, TEXAS –
Octavius Brown’s season high
22 points and Patrick Owenu’s
clutch free throws, lifted Alcorn
State past Prairie View, 73-70
in their Southwestern Athletic
Conference opener Saturday
night.
The first half was an even
match between the two teams;
however the Braves’ Tamarcio
Wilson came out blazing, going five-for-five on field goals,
with two from beyond the arc,
to pace Alcorn (3-9, 1-0). Brown
complimented Wilson with six
first half points. Prairie View’s
Zachary Hamilton led scorers in
the first half with 19 points. The
Braves and the Panthers both
scored 10 points in the paint and
scored nine points off of turnovers.
Wilson was tempered in the
second half scoring seven points,
on the other hand Brown made
all seven shots from the field
including a clutch free throw.
The Braves improved on their
first half shooting from 42.3 percent to 65.2 percent. Despite the
improved shooting percentage,
Alcorn was still in a dog fight.
Prairie View took a 65-63 lead
with 2:26 to play on a Karim
York jumper in the paint.
Alcorn State tied the contest
for the 16th time on a Brown
jumper, prior to a Prairie View
foul. Alcorn’s Owenu nailed
Alcorn’s Octavius Brown heads down the court facing Prairie View’s
Jordan Giddings.
both free throws with 1:11 remaining in the clock, to take the
lead for good. Owen blocked the
potential tying point, and Brown
cleaned it up, rebounding and
putting the game out of reach
with 43 ticks left.
The Braves outscored the
Panthers in the paint 32-10, the
bench 20-10. The game was
even throughout seeing the
score tied 16 times, and 14 lead
changes.
Monday night game
In Houston, Texas Jose Rodriguez made 10 of 12 free throws
and finished with 18 points to
help Texas Southern beat Alcorn
State 74-58 Monday night.
Orlando Coleman, Chris
Thomas and Malcolm Riley added 12 points each, while Derrick
Griffin and David Blanks scored
10 apiece for Texas Southern
(3-11, 2-0). Griffin, a freshman,
also pulled 13 rebounds, giving
him five double-doubles in eight
career games.
Alcorn State (3-10, 1-1) trailed
by just three, 32-29, at halftime,
but the Tigers used a 23-6 run to
open the second half, pushing
their lead to 20 on Riley’s putback of a missed three by Coleman with 11:46 remaining.
The Braves never threatened
thereon.
Texas Southern made 10 of 25
from 3-point range; the Tigers
have made 23 3s in their two
conference games this season.
Octavious Brown led Alcorn
State with 19 points and a season-high 11 rebounds.
The Delta Devils of Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils
thrilled the home crowd for the
first time this season with a nailbiting 66-60 win over the Golden Lions of the University of
Arkansas – Pine Bluff Monday
in Itta Bena.
Mississippi Valley took an
11-point spread into the locker
room at halftime over Pine
Bluff. The Delta Devils forced
the Golden Lions to turn the
ball over 17 times in the opening half, which was pivotal to
their victory. Isaac Williams
paced MVSU with 11-points.
Ta’Jay Henry and Marcus Romain proved to be a vicious
duo; each scoring six points in
the first half.
Charles Jackson had a successful game, scoring fivepoints in the first and several
Golden Lions chipped in fourpoints each.
“We stayed committed to
what our coaching staff has
been teaching is and we were
fortunate enough to come up
with the win,” said Romain.
During the second half, UAPB
Mississippi Valley’s Kylan Phillips focuses on a Golden Lions’ opponent.
mounted their offensive strikes
to close the point deficit, however they were unable to tie or
take the lead from the charging
Delta Devils. Romain paced
MVSU with 20 points, five rebounds, four steals and two assists. Williams finished with
15-points and three rebounds,
while Henry added 10-points,
six rebounds, three steals and
one assist. Head Coach Andre Payne
stated, “The key to the game
was defense, we forced 24
turnovers, anytime you can do
that, you will have some kind
of success. The guys brought
into the system tonight and
played the defense we teach
everyday.”
MVSU travels to Montgomery, Ala., to take on Alabama
State University on Jan. 9 and
Alabama A&M Jan. 11 in
Huntsville.
WRTM-FM SMOOTH 100.5 FM, IS JACKSON’S URBAN RHYTHM AND BLUES
STATION PLAYING FAMILIAR FAVORITES FROM THE 70’S, 80’S AND 90’S. TUNE
IN TO HEAR JUST THE RIGHT MIX OF BLUES AND TODAY’S BIGGEST HITS.
HEALTH
JANUARY 7 - 13, 2016
Medicare undergoing
big changes; What’s
new for beneficiaries
By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar
Associated Press
WASHINGTON – Whether
it’s coverage for end-of-life
counseling or an experimental
payment scheme for common
surgeries, Medicare in 2016 is
undergoing some of the biggest
changes in its 50 years.
Grandma’s Medicare usually
just paid the bills as they came
in. Today, the nation’s flagship
health-care program is seeking better ways to balance cost,
quality and access.
The effort could redefine the
doctor-patient relationship, or it
could end up a muddle of wellintentioned but unworkable government regulations. The changes have been building slowly,
veiled in a fog of acronyms and
bureaucratic jargon.
So far, the 2016 change getting the most attention is that
Medicare will pay clinicians to
counsel patients about options
for care at the end of life. The
voluntary counseling would
have been authorized earlier
by President Barack Obama’s
health care law but for the outcry fanned by former Republican vice presidential candidate
Sarah Palin, who charged it
would lead to “death panels.”
Hastily dropped from the law,
the personalized counseling
has been rehabilitated through
Medicare rules.
But experts who watch Medicare as the standards-setter
for the health system are looking elsewhere in the program.
They’re paying attention to
Medicare’s attempts to remake
the way medical care is delivered to patients, by fostering
teamwork among clinicians,
emphasizing timely preventive
services and paying close attention to patients’ transitions
between hospital and home. Primary care doctors, the gatekeepers of health care, are the focus
of much of Medicare’s effort.
Patrick Conway, Medicare’s
chief medical officer, says that
nearly 8 million beneficiaries
– about 20 percent of those in
traditional Medicare - are now
in “Accountable Care Organizations.” ACOs are recently introduced networks of doctors and
hospitals that strive to deliver
better quality care at lower cost.
“Five years ago there was
minimal incentive to coordinate
care,” said Conway. “Physicians
wanted to do well for their patients, but the financial incentives were completely aligned
with volume.” Under the ACO
model, clinical networks get
part of their reimbursement for
meeting quality or cost targets.
The jury’s still out on their longterm impact.
Still, a major expansion is
planned for 2016, and beneficiaries for the first time will be able
to pick an ACO. Currently they
can opt out if they don’t like it.
“We’re all trying to understand where is that threshold
when things will flip,” said
Kavita Patel, a Brookings Institution health policy expert
who also practices as a primary
care doctor. It could be like the
switch from snail mail and interoffice memos to communicating
via email, she says, but “I’m not
sure we have reached critical
mass.”
Glendon Bassett, a retired
chemical engineer, says he can
vouch for the teamwork approach
that Medicare is promoting. Earlier this year, a primary care team
at SAMA Healthcare in El Dorado, Arkansas, prevented what
Bassett feared would turn into an
extended hospitalization. It started with a swollen leg.
SAMA is part of Medicare’s
Comprehensive Primary Care
Initiative, an experiment in seven regions of the country that
involves nearly 400,000 beneficiaries and a much larger number of patients with other types
of insurance. The insurers pay
primary care practices a monthly fee for care coordination, and
the practices also have the opportunity to share in any savings
to Medicare.
The primary-care teams at
SAMA consist of a doctor, a
nurse practitioner, three nurses,
and a care coordinator. The coordinator shepherds patients to
avoid gaps in care. The nurses
can be an early warning system
for the doctor.
Bassett said he had a history
of circulatory problems in his
legs, but this was different. “It
was scary,” he said. “Within a
week’s time it turned from red
to dark.”
He thought about the emergency room, but he got in right
away to see the nurse practitioner working with Dr. Gary Bev-
ill, his longtime physician. The
nurse fetched other clinicians to
look at Bassett’s swollen right
leg. He was immediately given
antibiotics. And the doctor referred him to a cardiologist for
an outpatient procedure that has
since improved his circulation.
While the medical treatment
may have followed fairly standard protocols, Bassett believes
the team approach prevented serious consequences.
“If I hadn’t seen the nurse
practitioner when I did, I feel
like I would have been in the
hospital,” he said. Bassett has
since moved to Hot Springs,
in another part of the state, but
stays in touch.
Medicare is weighing whether to expand the primary care
model. Conway said more data
is needed.
Other notable changes coming in 2016:
- Hip and Knee Surgery
Joint replacements are the
most common surgical procedure for Medicare beneficiaries.
Starting in April, hospitals in 67
metro areas and communities
will be responsible for managing the total cost of hip and knee
replacements. The experiment
covers a 90-day window from
the initial doctor’s visit, through
surgery and rehabilitation. At
stake for the hospitals are potential financial rewards and penalties.
Medicare’s goal is to improve
quality while lowering cost. But
hospitals worry about financial
consequences and advocates for
patients say there’s a potential to
skimp on care.
“What we are discovering
with all this change is that trying to get to value over volume
is very difficult to do,” said Herb
Kuhn, who heads the Missouri
Hospital Association.
- Hospice Flexibility
Patients choosing Medicare’s
hospice benefit at the end of
their lives have traditionally had
to give up most curative care.
Under Medicare’s new Care
Choices model, patients with a
terminal illness will be able to
receive hospice services without giving up treatment. A cancer patient could continue to get
chemo, for example.
Seventy hospices will start the
experiment Jan. 1, and another
70 will join in two years.
Tips for helping children link
written words to language
Reading to very young children is crucial to help them
eventually learn to read. But
researchers studying how kids
begin to understand that text
conveys meaning differently
than pictures – an important
concept for reading readiness
– say parents should pay attention to writing, too. Some suggestions:
-Run a finger under the text
when reading to youngsters.
Otherwise, kids pay more attention to the pictures and miss
an opportunity to link written
words to spoken language, said
Brett Miller of the National Institute for Child Health and Hu-
man Development.
-Show children how you
write their names well before
they could attempt it, said
Temple University psychology
professor Kathy Hirsh-Pasek.
That’s one of their first concrete examples that a mysterious squiggle on a page is a
symbol for a word they know.
-Often a child’s name is his
or her first written word, thanks
to memorizing what it looks
like. Encouraging youngsters
to invent their own spellings of
other words could spur them to
write even more, said developmental psychologist Rebecca
Treiman of Washington University in St. Louis.
-When youngsters scribble,
don’t guess what they produced
- ask, Hirsh-Pasek said. It’s
pretty discouraging if a tot’s
about to announce he wrote a
story and mom thinks he drew
a house.
-Post a scribble they’re proud
of on the refrigerator, she said.
Children are figuring out patterns with their scribbles, and
that’s more instructive than
merely pasting copies of, say,
apples onto a page to make a
recognizable picture.
-Give tots a pencil or pen
instead of a crayon if they say
they want to “write” rather than
“draw” so it will look more like
text, Treiman said.
Snyder declares emergency
in Flint over water problems
Flint, Mich. residents protest the smell and appearance of the city’s water. U.S.DANNY MILLER / AP
By Jeff Karoub
Associated Press
DETROIT – Michigan Gov.
Rick Snyder declared a state of
emergency in Flint on Tuesday
over problems with lead in the
city’s drinking water, the same
day federal officials confirmed
they’re investigating the matter that prompted a local public
health emergency.
Snyder’s action follows emergency declarations by the city
and Genesee County, which
requested help from the state.
Michigan’s declaration makes
available state resources in cooperation with local response
and recovery operations.
U.S. attorney’s spokeswoman
Gina Balaya said in an email that
the federal investigation is “an
effort to address the concerns of
Flint residents,” but she couldn’t
say whether it is a criminal or
civil investigation.
The city switched from Detroit’s water system to Flint River water in a cost-cutting move in
2014, while under state financial
management. That was intended
as a temporary step while a pipeline was built from Lake Huron.
Residents complained about
the water’s taste, smell and appearance, and children were
found to have elevated levels
of lead due to the water supply.
Exposure to lead can cause behavior problems and learning
disabilities in children.
The city returned to Detroit
water in October.
Officials say the state will
use its own resources during the
emergency, but Snyder could request federal help if Michigan is
unable to handle demands.
Last week, Snyder apologized
and Michigan’s top environmen-
tal regulator resigned after a task
force created by Snyder blamed
problems on his agency. Administration officials have pledged
to cooperate fully with any federal requests. Flint Mayor Karen
Weaver welcomed the governor’s declaration, saying it’s
what “Flint deserves.”
The state initially downplayed
lead concerns but ultimately had
to commit $10.6 million to reconnect Flint to Detroit and to
respond with filters, testing and
other services.
The city’s request for a disaster declaration includes roughly
$50 million in aid, most of which
is taken up by $45 million to replace 15,000 lead service lines
– “one of the most cost-intensive
endeavors related to ameliorating water contaminants” in its
system, according to the application.
JANUARY 7 - 13, 2016
BOOK REVIEW:
“HAPPY
IN
OUR
SKIN”
FRAN MANUSHKIN, ILLUSTRATED BY LAUREN TOBIA
BY
C.2015, CANDLEWICK PRESS
$15.99 / $19.00 CANADA • 32 PAGES
By Terri Schlichenmeyer
Book Reviewer
Mama says it’s chilly outside
and you need to cover up.
You can’t let the cold nip your
nose or your toes, so she bundles you up warm with boots
and coat, maybe a scarf and
mittens, too. As you’ll see in
the book, “Happy in Our Skin”
by Fran Manushkin, illustrated
by Lauren Tobia, Mama – and
something else – will keep you
toasty, inside and out.
Right after a baby is born,
someone wraps it tight in a
blanket or a sweater to keep
it warm. But did you know a
baby – every baby, even you
– is already born with a warm
suit? It’s their birthday suit,
made of skin.
Skin comes in all kinds of
colors: “cocoa brown, cinnamon, and honey gold…
ginger-colored… peaches and
cream…” as well as pale, freckled, dimpled, dappled, and skin
that’s different shades. No matter what it looks like, it’s just
skin. We all have it, and it does
the same really cool thing: “It
keeps the outsides out and your
insides in.”
This is cool, too: as you get
bigger, your skin gets bigger
right along with you. You don’t
even have to think about it or
ask for help with it. It just does.
And you know what happens
when you hurt your skin? Yep,
you get a “perfect seal” in the
form of a scab that keeps blood
in and germs out. Think about
that the next time you skin your
knee or bump your elbow when
you’re playing.
What else does skin do?
It makes you warm and snuggly when Mom or Dad hugs
you. It makes you laugh when
they tickle your belly. Your
skin feels good when someone
scratches your back, holds your
hand, or plays “This Little Piggy” on your toes. Yes, you have
clothes for your body, hands,
and your feet, but your skin is
your first protection.
And the best part of all?
Nobody has skin exactly like
yours. You are unique, and so
is your skin.
For much of your toddler’s
life, you’ve been playing
Where’s Your Nose-Chin-Elbow so your child can learn the
names of his body parts. Now,
with “Happy in Our Skin,” you
can add a new twist to an old
game in a truly sweet way.
Starting with snuggly babies
and using a simple rhyme, author Fran Manushkin tells the
story of skin: what it does, why
we have it, and why one person’s skin is one color and your
child’s skin might be another.
Manushkin doesn’t highlight
differences; instead, she treats
them quite matter-of-factly and
like no big deal. That sentiment’s underscored with illustrations by Lauren Tobia: on
page after page, your child will
see drawings of kids of all races playing together, and their
mothers caring for them.
The audience for this book is
narrow: babies are a little too
young for it, and 5-year-olds
may be too old. The sweet spot,
I think, is for 2-to-4-year-olds
who are just starting to notice
differences. For them, “Happy
in Our Skin” covers just what
they need. Terri Schlichenmeyer can be
reached at bookwormsez@yahoo.com.
“Firefight: The CenturyLong Battle to Integrate
New York’s Bravest”
By Ginger Adams Otis • C.2015, Palgrave Macmillan
$28.00 / $32.50 Canada • 281 Pages
By Terri Schlichenmeyer
Book Reviewer
Chestnuts roasting on an open
fire seem so cozy.
Just humming that tune
warms you up, right? Roaring
flames on hearth or sand always
seem welcoming, even romantic – except when they go out
of control. And as for the person
who puts out a fire like that, as
you’ll see in “Firefight” by Ginger Adams Otis, flames aren’t
all they battle.
Sometimes, the fight runs
deeper, as Wesley Williams
learned on January 10, 1919.
That was the day Williams
left his young family in their
Bronx apartment to report to his
new job as New York City’s first
(according to newspapers) black
firefighter. It was a 45-minute
ride to Little Italy, and he knew
he could never be late.
What he faced that day, and
for months, wasn’t what he
hoped to get from the job. He’d
receive a $1,500-a-year salary
and benefits of which few black
men would dare to dream. He
also received discrimination,
subtly and overtly, but Williams
persevered and thrived: in later
years, he worked his way up to
battalion chief.
That was no easy feat for an
African-American man in early-
to-mid 1900s
America.
T h o u g h
black citizens
represented
a good part
of New York
City’s popuOtis
lation, black
PHOTO BY DEBBIE “smoke
eatEGAN-CHIN
ers” were few
in both police and fire departments; often, just 3 percent of
the entire department. Early-on,
they had little security or clout,
which is why Williams formed
the Vulcans, a fraternal order for
African-American firefighters,
in 1938. Still, Jim Crow hazing, testing biases, and lack of
urgency in City Hall kept many
potential African-American recruits from the FDNY.
Some eighty years after Wesley Williams became a firefighter, the situation was different, but similar: racism lurked
quietly in pockets of the FDNY,
testing continued to be a thorny
issue, and there was still a disparity in numbers for “Bravest”
African Americans.
The Vulcans had long lobbied
for change, with limited success
and so, post-9/11, they took a
drastic and controversial step…
In a way, I saw “Firefight” as
two distinct books in one.
First, readers may be shocked
to learn of the racial imbalance
perpetuated in such a large and
esteemed department in one of
our largest cities, and what had
to be done to set things right.
That account of modern-day
struggles is how author Ginger
Adams Otis kicks her book off,
and though she winds recent
happenings nicely around that
of the past, the many names and
legal skirmishes can become
overwhelming for readers outside New York.
Fortunately, the history of
New York firefighting and the
decades-old story of Wesley
Williams comprise the other
half of this book, and the latter is compelling. It weaves
through Otis’ account of the
present and tempers it; indeed,
if your mind wanders, it’ll snap
back when Williams’ name appears again.
Fire buffs in particular will
appreciate this book, as will
anyone who loves a peek into
the past with a dash of excitement. Yes, part of it may be a
challenge to follow but the other
half of “Firefight” will inflame
you.
Terri Schlichenmeyer can be
reached at bookwormsez@yahoo.com.
Cryptogram
A cryptogram is a puzzle where a sentence is encoded by substituting the
actual letters of the sentence with different letters. The challenge of the
puzzle is to ‘decode’ the sentence to reveal the original English sentence.
We have provided a few of the decoded letters to help get you started.
Hint: Quote by Jimmy Fallon
© Feature Exchange
Crossword Puzzle
ACROSS
1. Married woman
4. Derivative of opium
10. Cereal
11. Bezel
12. School group
13. Made available
14. Before ninth
16. Spots
17. Yoga practicer
18. Scottish “one”
20. Woman’s title
22. What you do for the judge
26. Digital audio tape
29. Annuler
31. Fly
33. Freudian term
34. Like hippie’s clothing
35. Modern
36. Harmonize
37. Compass point
DOWN
1. Sulky
2. 2:1, for example
3. Canned chili brand
4. Except
5. High ranking man- used formerly
6. Internal Revenue Service
7. Water (Spanish)
8. Equal
9. Ceases
15. Masculine pronoun
19. Time period
21. Mythical deity
23. Objects
24. Sego lilies’ bulbs
25. Wear away
26. Input
27. Car rental agency
28. Binds
30. Vegetable
32. Hoopla
© Feature Exchange
(For puzzle answer keys, see page 14)
ENTERTAINMENT
JANUARY 7 - 13, 2016
Cosby’s wife reportedly humiliated
By Qwest7
Eurweb.com
She may stand behind her
husband in the public eye, but
is Camille Cosby upset with her
embattled husband Bill Cosby
over the humiliation he’s put her
through regarding his current
troubles?
Supposedly that is the case.
Citing family insiders, Page
Six reveals that Camille, who
was not with her husband when
he appeared last week in a
Pennsylvania courtroom to be
charged with aggravated indecent assault, has vowed to no
longer be Bill’s crutch.
“My husband doesn’t deserve
jail, but he does deserve every
bit of the hell he’s going through
now even though he is still pretending that this hell doesn’t
exist,” the anguished Camille
confided, according to a close
family source told the New York
Post.
The source goes on to say
According to reports, Camille Cosby was aware of her husband’s, Bill
Cosby, infidelities but wanted him to be discreet.
that although Camille was very
familiar with Bill Cosby’s infidelities over the years, she insisted that he be discreet and not
shame her.
“But, she has been thoroughly humiliated and believe me,
her anger isn’t directed at the
women,” the source, who has
been close to the Cosby family
for more than two decades, said.
“Bill has humiliated her, and
the affairs he’s had have gotten
out of hand and this [criminal
charge] is him reaping what he’s
sown.”
Camille’s current attitude toward Cosby is different from
when she scoffed at accusations
of the comedian drugging and
raping various women when
they first surfaced. The Post
notes that Camille, acting as
wife and Cosby’s business manager, instructed her husband’s
high-powered attorneys to “get
back out in front of this” at the
time.
Once the number of victims
totaled more than 50, another
family source mentioned that
Camille “was sickened.”
“She’s been fighting giving
a deposition, but that’s not because she wants to keep protecting Bill, it’s because it’s so
humiliating,” the family source
shared with the Post.
“She’s still married to Bill
because of all of the court stuff
and now the criminal stuff,” the
source said. “She knows that you
can’t force a wife to testify against
her husband and she doesn’t want
any part of this at all.”
According to reports, several
of Cosby’s accusers have sought
to depose her regarding the allegations.
Malcom X’s daughter jailed for failure to repay
By Ny MaGee
Eurweb.com
The youngest daughter of
Malcolm X has been jailed for
failing to pay back the $55,000
she stole from an elderly Queens
woman, NY Daily News reports.
A Queens judge ordered Malikah Shabazz held last Tuesday
night after probation officials
said she failed to make any of
the monthly $1,229 restitution
payments she agreed to as part
of a plea deal.
In 2011, Shabazz was sentenced to five years probation
for running up $55,000 charges
on the credit card of family
friend, Khaula Bakr. Prosecutors
say she opened credit card accounts in Bakr’s name. She was
ordered to pay back the money
or risk being thrown into prison
for seven years.
Malikah Shabazz was ordered to make monthly payments of $1,229 to
repay $55,000 in credit card charges.
Queens District Attorney
Richard Brown accused Shabazz of “preying upon the trusting nature” of Bakr, the widow
of one of Malcolm’s bodyguards
who was present when he was
assassinated at the Audubon
Ballroom in Harlem in 1965.
Bakr discovered the theft
when she got a letter from
Wells Fargo demanding nearly
$30,000 in payments for an
overdue account. She discovered two more credit cards had
been opened in her name, running up charges of $8,382.84
and $18,712.06. The accounts
listed Shabazz’s Columbia, S.C.,
address, authorities say.
Shabazz, who was born
months after Malcolm X was
assassinated, had 50 months to
pay back the $55,000, but she
never made good on any of the
payments. She was also ordered
to stay in NYC while she served
out her five-year probation, but
she apparently moved to St. Albans, Vt., above a bar that she’s
looking to buy.
Her previous legal woes include a bitter battle with her
sisters over their parents’ $1.4
million estate. Their mother died
in 1997 after being burned in a
fire set by her grandson. Shabazz was also arrested in 2011
after social service investigated
a complaint that her 13-yearold daughter wasn’t attending
school.
LisaRaye’s directorial
debut heads to TVOne
By Ny MaGee
Associated Press
LisaRaye McCoy’s directorial debut about the global skin
lightening epidemic to set to
debut Jan. 9 at 7 p.m. on TV
One. “SKINNED” is a 90-minute film which addresses the
disturbing skin bleaching trend
and touches on the important
issues of color, self-esteem and
acceptance.
“We set out to produce a film
not only to address the global
epidemic, but more importantly, the history among people
of color regarding the way we
think and the acceptance of
our given gifts,” said McCoy.
“SKINNED will impact those
who are struggling with their
own identity and self-worth.
There hasn’t been a film to address this epidemic since Spike
Lee’s School Daze touched on
the subject matter.”
A 2015 Bronze Lens
Film Festival best independent feature film nominee,
“SKINNED” is a characterdriven drama about Jolie, a
young lady played by Jasmine
Burke (“Ride Along”), whose
insecurities about her skin color and beauty, and her search
for romance causes her to
bleach her skin beyond recognition. In an attempt to capture
the heart of the perfect suitor,
her misuse of skin bleaching
products is detrimental.
As a beautiful model with a
wonderful husband, Michael,
played by Brad James (“Pris-
LisaRaye McCoy’s new film
covers a woman’s journey to
find acceptance by bleaching
her skin.
oners”), Jolie (Burke) discovers she’s developed some complications due to the chemicals
found in certain skin bleaching creams. To make matters
worse, her husband discovers
her damaging little secret. With
the assistance of psychiatrist
Dr. Smith (“Cycerli,” “Ash,”
“Never Alone),” Jolie (Burke)
must go on a journey into her
past to face her demons in an
effort to sustain her future.
The cast also includes LisaRaye as mother, Drew Sidora
(“Step Up,” “Hindsight”) as
Clarice, Jolie’s sister, Tasia
Grant (“Morningside”) as Melissa, and Nollywood international film and television star
Van Vicker (“The Heartbreaker’s Revenge”) as Bobby.
please call:
601-896-0084
or e-mail:
jlinkads@bellsouth.net
JANUARY 7 - 13, 2016
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January 7 2016 - The Mississippi Link

Transcription

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